Aitzaz Ahsan deplores PM Abbasi holding cabinet meeting in London

LAHORE (NNI): Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Senator Aitzaz Ahsan on Sunday said that the Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has fled the country, and deplored the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is looking cabinet meeting in London.

The PPP leader while addressing media said the PM Abbasi was on an official visit to Dushabe, Tajikistan and later reached London unscheduled where Dar fell sick.

“There are making a mockery of NAB. There will be test for the NAB chairman,” said Ahsan, referring to the corruption references against Dar being held in an accountability court.

He decried that the decisions of the state are being taken abroad, and that PM Abbasi was holding cabinet meeting in London. Abbasi arrived in the British capital for the second time in a week on a personal visit, and previously to meet ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

“The cabinet hold meetings in London. The prime minister and chief minister reaches there,” he said. “Shahid Khaqan Abbasi reaches there whenever he wants.”

He said the Ishaq Dar fled as his name was not placed on the Exit Control, and that the NAB was responsible for it. “If Ishaq Dar’s name was not on the ECL, then why was Dr. Asim’s name placed,” he asked decrying the dual standards against them.

“There is seperate law for PML-N, and another for the rest of the world,” he said adding that retired captain Safdar received bail from a court not authorised to issue it. “We are still saying that justice is not being done.”

He said the burden of proof lies on the Sharif family, and Nawaz Sharif has failed to provide evidence against him. “Court, JIT and NAB pleaded to submit document,” he said but Sharif was not able to provide more than a bogus Qatari letter and trust deed.

He said Nawaz Sharif was engulfed in a tough legal process, and is trying hard to break free. Despite having the federal government, the PML-N is now acting as both the government and the opposition.

He said that there should be no dual standards, and the laws of accountability in Sindh should also be applied in Punjab. “The rules imposed on the PPP should also be imposed on PML-N.”

He furthered said that institutions will not be succumb to pressure and cow down, and if the Sharif family is innocent then it should submit documents. He said the PPP will support them if there is not any injustice, but should accept it without any evidence.