Wasteful show: Punjab CM seeks inquiry into ‘dharna politics’

Shahbaz Sharif says those responsible deserve public punishment

MULTAN:

Obliquely referring to last year’s marathon sit-ins in Islamabad by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday that a parliamentary commission should be formed to investigate into the colossal losses suffered by the country.

“There should be public punishment for all those who were behind this waste of nation’s time and money. Like the judicial commission that probed rigging allegations, a parliamentary commission should also be formed to submit its findings before the people of Pakistan,” the chief minister said.

He was talking to journalists in Multan, where he had come to overview the ongoing Multan Metro Bus Project. He was also to visit the flood-hit areas in Layyah, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rahim Yar Khan but due to relentless rain, he restricted his visit to Multan.

The chief minister said the judicial commission had given a real lesson that people should not follow propaganda and should only see the performance of the government and politicians.  “Political parties should also avoid fake political promises and slogans and should face the reality with the power of democracy,” he added.



Shahbaz said the Multan Metro Bus project would be more beautiful than the similar projects in Islamabad and Lahore. “Multan Metro Bus is also lucky as in its case no time will be wasted on political dramas which delayed Islamabad Metro Bus Project,” he said

He also praised the performance of Multan’s commissioner Captain (retd) Asad Ullah Khan and DCO Zahid Saleem Gondal for personally monitoring the project. “It will be completed in a record time,” he added.

The chief minister said floods this time were less severe than the previous time but the government would still compensate for the losses of all flood victims and would punish all officials found to be negligent.

“I am not alone but the federal government and all disaster management authorities work with me in unison. Shahbaz Sharif is not a one-man show but a one magnificent team performance for the people of Pakistan,” he said.


Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2015.