Tarar claims PML-N 'defeated' PTI in assembly’s dissolution strategy

Attaullah Tarar confident Punjab CM 'does not have required number of lawmakers in his pocket' to remain in power

LAHORE:

Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday termed the “delay in the dissolution of assemblies” as PML-N’s victory while the PTI and its allied party PML-Q are engaged in different technicalities.

Talking to media in Lahore, the SAPM said that “the speaker and deputy speaker of the Punjab Assembly had never been in their [PML-N's] focus. Their target was only the Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi”.

Tarar appeared optimistic about the PML-N securing the votes required to oust Elahi from power and claimed that the Punjab CM "does not have the required number of lawmakers in his pocket, which is why the PTI has been delaying the matter of vote of confidence".

When asked whether the PML-N has the required numbers if Elahi does not have the strength of 186 lawmakers, he maintained that "we will show our cards at the appropriate time".

However, Tarar parried the question of whether the majority number would prevail if in case no party has the 186 number.

Read PTI adamant to dissolve Punjab Assembly

Responding to another query about whether or not the matter of dissolution of assemblies has been resolved, Tarar said "neither table talk was held on this matter nor was anything resolved but doors for talks should not remain closed".

On the claims of PML-N delaying the local body elections in Islamabad, he said the party wants complete elections but not under such circumstances where neither matter of delimitation nor the voter lists and registration of new population has been resolved.

"The documents for contesting elections from the new Union Councils also need to be submitted," he added.

The PM's aid also claimed that the ruling PML-N has "pulled the country out of economic crises" and said that it was the party's efforts that led to Pakistan being removed from the FATF’s grey list and approval of the IMF package, among other things.

Wazirabad attack case

Earlier today, Attaullah Tarar visited the Lahore High Court (LHC) to attend the proceedings on a plea filed by a family seeking recovery of their two sons, Ahsan Nazir and Mudasar Nazir, from illegal detention by the Punjab police.

During the hearing, the LHC ordered the family to approach the concerned police department and produce before them whatever substantial material they have in their support, adding that the DPO Wazirabad will act in accordance with the law and submit a report before the court within 15 days.

Read more MWM decides not to support CM Elahi on no-trust motion

Petitioner Irshad Begum implored in her petition that her sons were kept in alleged illegal detention in light of the attack on PTI chief and former prime minister Imran Khan.

She requested the court to direct the concerned quarters to produce her sons and hand them over to her. Begum said her sons are being subject to political victimisation despite having nothing to do with the assassination attempt on Imran.

Tarar, while talking to the media, said "no one knows under which law the JIT [joint investigation team] was formed on this matter" adding that innocent people are being arrested in the name of the attack case.

The police, however, claimed that the aforesaid have not been in police custody but they have evidence, including CCTV footage, which shows their arrest.

"[The] PTI is setting a new trend of abducing innocent people," claimed Tarar. "No one is here to ask CCPO Lahore Ghulam Mehmood Dogar why and on whose direction he is doing all this," he added.