The leaders of PML-N on Thursday maintained that their party was willing to engage with those in the PTI who were not involved in the May 9 violence, while demanding that the cases of former premiers Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif are decided prior to the upcoming elections scheduled for February 8, enabling the people to discern between honest and dishonest leaders.
They also announced Nawaz’s intent to form a national government after the polls.
PML-N stalwarts Javed Latif and Ataullah Tarar held separate news conferences in Lahore chiefly against PTI Chairman Imran Khan, showing the level of concern within the party.
PTI is apparently the only opposition party whose leaders, mainly Imran, are buried under a truck load of cases with the exception of those who have publicly denounced him and abandoned his party.
As of now, PTI field horses do not even know if they would be allowed to contest polls under the party flag or not.
Currently, both the PML-N and the PPP have initiated their election campaign, while PTI still waits a green signal from the powerful quarters to safely resume any political activity.
Speaking to media after a meeting at the party secretariat, PML-N’s Rana Sanaullah clarified that they would want to take all parties along including the PTI but excluding those who were involved in 9 May riots.
Terming the party leaders, who were allegedly involved in the Black Day violence, a “gang”, the PML-N leader stressed that they would “sit with all other players” for the betterment of the country.
Responding to a question, Sanaullah stated that Nawaz would meet heads of all leading parties, including PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.
On PML-N supremo’s legal battles, he observed that Nawaz would contest the polls and that there were no legal hurdles in his way.
It is pertinent to mention here that those who have denounced PTI voluntarily, or otherwise, have parted ways with Imran’s party to join IPP or PTIP, while the remaining of its members are behind bars. Seemingly, there is none to talk to if those accused of May 9 incidents are subtracted.
PML-N’s Javed Latif, who served as a portfolio-less federal minister during the PDM government, while addressing a presser noted that their party supremo was being accused of getting justice on fast track.
This, he said, should not be the case as justice should be done in every case expeditiously.
Latif stressed that justice should be served to Nawaz and even Imran prior to elections, enabling the people to differentiate between a criminal and an innocent individual.
In a veiled reference to the PTI chief, he urged the nation not to confuse a politician with extremist elements involved in attacking state institutions.
Addressing another accusation hurled at his party of abandoning their slogan of civilian supremacy, Latif explained that the meaning of ‘give respect to vote’ (vote ko izzat do) was to respect the Constitution and for the institutions to work within their legal ambits.
He asserted that the institutions had vowed to remain apolitical which reflected in their actions now.
On the impression of PML-N being a new king’s party, Latif emphasized that the institutions must not allow anyone to create such a feeling of impartiality.
These voices shouldn’t be allowed to gain any strength, he said, adding that they shouldn’t be allowed to create an impression that elections 2024 would be a replay of 2018 polls.
Latif demanded a level playing field but asserted that institutions would not allow those who had attacked military installations go scot-free.
He expressed the hope that the PML-N would win the upcoming polls with a thumping majority, but pointed out that Nawaz would create a national government to tackle the multi-faceted issues facing the country, including all provincial and national parties.
The first half of the news conference focused on slamming the PTI chief for his politics and governance and equating May 9 episode with terrorism.
Taking a swipe at President Arif Alvi for writing a letter to Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar to ensure a level playing field, Latif asked the former to first accept and express remorse over “attacking PTV, dissolving assembly and trying to patch up matters between the ‘PTI’s mastermind of May 9’ and former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa”.
Instead, he said, President Alvi should seek a level playing field for Nawaz so that all the legal requirements are met prior to elections, and demand that all pending cases against the PTI are fixed at the earliest.
He called the president a co-conspirator in ‘PTI-led terrorism’.
PML-N Deputy Secretary General Ataullah Tarar also held a presser, bashing the PTI chairman for allegedly patronizing Farah Shehzadi, who he accused of running a corruption racket in Punjab with the assistance of Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi.
He alleged that the tax amnesty introduced by the PTI chief was not for the benefit of the business community but for Farah to allow her to whiten her ill-gotten wealth that she had amassed under Imran’s government.
He further claimed that realizing the success of no confidence motion against his government, Imran made both Farah and her husband flee the country.
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