Shahbaz should resign over Model Town clashes says Wattoo

PPP leader praises Imran Khan’s <br /> struggle for electoral reforms.

LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Punjab chapter president Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo said on Sunday Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif should resign over the June 17 clashes in Model Town.

An FIR should be registered against those responsible for the violence in Model Town in which 14 people were killed, Wattoo said in a statement.

He praised Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan’s struggle for electoral reforms.

“Social development and transparency go side by side,” Wattoo said in a statement. He said, however, that use of unparliamentarily language by Imran Khan in his speeches was unfortunate.

“Khan is a national leader. He should respect other leaders as well. His behaviour these days does not become a national leader.” Wattoo said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, too, had used foul language in his previous term.

He asked the government to consider PTI’s demand that prime minister should resign for a month so that an independent inquiry could be launched into rigging claims.

“If rigging is not proved, he [Nawaz Sharif] should become prime minister again,” he said. The PPP leader said the stock market had crashed and foreign reserves decreased due to the current political situation. He said rupee had depreciated against the dollar. He said the situation had damaged the country’s image.

“Rigging negates the purpose of the constitution and democracy. It is regrettable that most elections in the country were rigged… the PPP has been a victim.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 25^th, 2014.