Aitzaz wonders why no audio leaks about PML-N

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and former federal minister Aitzaz Ahsan said on Tuesday that two women were talking to each other and their talk was leaked on social media but interestingly, no audio about the PML-N had come to the fore.

Speaking at a press conference in Lahore, Ahsan said that it was not possible to prove the audio of Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial’s mother-in-law. “The point to ponder is that there is no audio of the N-League,” he told reporters.

Ahsan stated that an audio claimed that he [Ahsan] was turned away from the gates of Bilawal House. “If that happened to me, a video should come out. If there is no video, then those who run this news should correct themselves.”

The senior PPP leader was critical of the caretaker Punjab government. He said that the job of a caretaker setup is to remain neutral, but instead, the caretaker information minister spoke against the judge who had acquitted PTI leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

Ahsan also opposed the military court trials, saying that the Supreme Court had held in two cases that “according to our laws, military courts cannot be held”. Instead, he suggested, the trial of May 9 rioters should be held in anti-terrorism courts.

When asked why political parties were being asked to agree to the elections on the same day, the former minister replied: “There are the Constitution and the law.” He urged the Supreme Court chief justice not to hesitate and give an election date.

Ahsan pointed out that there was no provision in the Constitution about the same-day elections and added that a province could not be left without government while waiting for the election.

Speaking about the ongoing political scenario, Ahsan opined that not all voters had ditched Imran Khan. He also said that PML-N Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz would further increase Imran’s vote bank. “Imran Khan should thank Maryam Nawaz for that.”

He opined that Imran’s biggest mistake was to leave parliament with his 140 National Assembly members. “Had those people been sitting there [National Assembly], the game would have been different today,” he added.

He also said that Imran delayed the dissolution of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assemblies. “PML-N members also played big politics on this issue. PML-N members made Imran emotional about dissolving the assemblies.”

Speaking about the ruling PML-N, he believed that actual power was in Nawaz Sharif’s hands. “Nawaz Sharif will decide about the budget, and the negotiations with Imran,” he said, adding that whatever Maryam Nawaz said was accepted.

About the PPP’s performance, he said that his party’s ministries were doing “very well.” He also praised PPP Co-Chairman Asif Zardari, calling him a wise politician. “Shahbaz Sharif recognising late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as a martyr is an achievement of Zardari.”

When asked about the future of politics in the country, the senior politician replied: “Nothing can be predicted in Pakistan except the past. No one can talk about the future here.”