Opposition asks PTI why its leaders running away from country

ISLAMABAD:

Leaders of the joint opposition slammed Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday, accusing him of subverting the Constitution and adopting destructive economic policies, which resulted in creating immense difficulties for the people of Pakistan.

Talking to the media, they also criticised former information minister Fawad Chaudhry for altercating with a journalist, saying that the former minister was known for his rude behaviour with opposition lawmakers and journalists.

Those present at the media talk included Muhammad Zubair, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Miftah Ismail and Daniel Aziz of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Sherry Rehman, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Faisal Karim Kundi of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Talking to the reporters, Danial Aziz referred to the claims of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that National Security Council (NSC) had endorsed the government’s narrative of foreign conspiracy in the wake of the ‘threatening memo’.

“The PTI’s NSC bubble is burst. It is all over in the newspapers that he [Imran] tried to fool the nation,” Aziz said. “They think that they could fool the people. It’s like ‘mountain in labour and a ridiculous mouse will be born’,” he told reporters.

Responding to the PTI’s allegation that the opposition was running away from the elections, the PML-N leader said: “We are not running from the election, but why are your people running away? Your people are removing expensive items from [their official residences in] the Ministers Enclave.”

He asked the PTI why sugar scandal report and the wheat flour scandal report were not made public. “You will have to answer for what you did with Pakistan. The IMF [International Monetary Fund] is gone, and now we have no space for negotiations on financial support.”

Also read: SC says wants to know about 'foreign conspiracy' before making decision

PML-N leader and former Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair said that 6 million employees were sacked, Rs22,000 billion was borrowed during the tenure of the PTI government. “These issues destroyed the people,” he said, adding that a lot would come to the fore soon.

Zubair also said that the opposition was not running away from elections, instead, he charged, those who were running away from the country were the close aides of Imran Khan. “Farah Khan is running away,” he said, referring to a close friend Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi.

“Farah Khan was the front person of Imran Khan’s wife. There was loot and plunder by Shahzad Akbar at the Centre by Farah Khan in the Punjab,” added Marriyum Aurangzeb, the PML-N spokesperson. “Why Farah Gujjar has left the country,” she asked.

Aurangzeb condemned Fawad Chaudhry. “They insult not only journalists but also parliamentarians. I strongly condemn what he did to the journalists today. Everybody knows the kind of speeches they make,” the PML-N spokesperson said.

Kaira also condemned Chaudhry, saying that the bitterness in the PTI leaders was a sign of their panicking. He added that asking questions was the job of the journalist and it was up to the politicians whether to answer those questions or not,” the senior PPP leader said.

Stressing that opposition parties were not running away from the elections, he said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would be consulted, adding that they would not allow Imran Khan to find ways to rig the elections.

Also read: 'Military finds no evidence of foreign conspiracy against PM Imran'

Kaira said that the party had moved the Supreme Court over the violation of the Constitution, particularly, the ruling of the National deputy speaker for rejecting the no-confidence motion. Kaira’s views were endorsed by the PPP Senator Sherry Rehman.

“The PPP and democracy are like hand in glove. We are sitting in the highest institution. The survival of democracy and the Constitution is in its hands of the Supreme Court. With its decision, you and I will be able to breathe in the fresh air,” she said.

Countering the PTI’s narrative, Rehman said that it was PPP government which suspended the NATO supplies into Afghanistan for seven months, following a strike at the Salala base, and closed down the Shamsi airbase for the use of American forces.

Kundi said that the eyes of the entire nation were on the Supreme Court. “It is hoped that the Supreme Court would give its judgment in accordance with the Constitution and the law. “It is not right to call people traitors just to save their seats. We have got rid of this government,” he added.

Kundi revealed that the joint opposition was in the process to move the no-confidence motions against the prime minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and the chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, who both belonged to the PTI.

Muftah Ismail said that Pakistan was in dire need of foreign exchange at this time, as the rupee was sliding sharply on a daily basis. He added that the PPP and the PML-N did not take that much loans in their tenures combined as much loan taken by the PTI government in three years.

PML-N leader Khurram Dastagir said that the doors of the Punjab Assembly were being shut tight for elected representatives. “Don’t call it a surprise, it’s a shame, a violation of the Constitution,” he said. “This government first killed the poor people, now it is attacking various state institutions.”