F.P. Report
KARACHI: Former Governor Sindh and senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League-N, Muhamad Zubair Friday said Pakistan Thereek e Insaf Chairman Imran Khan should be treated according to laws of the country in cases filed against him.
He while addressing a press conference along with senior PML-N leader Nihal Hashmi here at Karachi Press Club said three PML-N leaders including Nihal Hashmi, Talal Choudhry and Danyal Aziz- were sentenced and disqualified by the apex courts in cases of the same nature in the past.
At that time PTI was all praise to courts’ decisions and termed it victory of justice, he added Muhammad Zubair said “IHC granted Imran Khan a week’s time to improve his response in contempt case.”
He was of the view that the courts while deciding the matter of Imran Khan should also consider the precedents of Hashmi, Talal and Danyal cases. Imran Khan who always boasts of equal treatment to all under law should also act in accordance with his own words and accept the penalty as prescribed by law of the land or confess that was government in past intimidated and unlawfully subjected the PML-N leadership, he said.
Referring to a leaked audio recording of a conversation between Shoukat Tareen and finance ministers of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he strongly censured the former finance minister for remarks which clearly negate the national interests.
“Having served in capacity of finance minister of the country twice and holding key positions in important financial entities Shoukat Tareen should have considered the impact of words he uttered,” Zubair regretted and alleged that PTI apparently wanted to sabotage the Pakistan IMF dialogue for financial assistance program.
A professional and seasoned economist like Tareen was not supposed to have such an approach, he assumed and asserted that it demonstrated the political approach of Imran Khan who was desperately wanted to regain the power even at the cost of national interests.
Imran Khan after failing in achievement of his self serving objectives by intimidation and maligning the national institutions had resorted to a conspiracy against the country just for the sake of becoming prime minister again, he further alleged and added that there were only two options for PTI to regain the power, either they table a no-confidence motion in assembly or wait for new elections which would be held in 2023.
He said that he was not issuing any sedition certificate but serving to anti-state elements and hurting national interests was an unpardonable crime and action must be taken in the regard.
Speaking on current flood situation in Pakistan, Muhammad Zubair said that over 350 million people had directly affected by the recent floods and torrential rains while millions more to suffer indirect repercussions of the disaster.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif led federal government attached top priority to relief, recovery and rehabilitation of flood affected population and PM Shabaz Sharif, Marium Nawaz, foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto and other leadership were visiting all the affected areas to monitor relief activities, he said.
The PML-N leader suggested that Imran Khan and PTI leadership should demonstrate political maturity and defer their anti-government campaign at least for two to three weeks in wake of the humanitarian crisis so that government could focus only on relief and rehabilitation of flood victims across the country.
PTI that was claiming to collect Rs 5.5 billion through their telethon for flood relief must make the receipts of those transactions public so that every one could know if they had collected such amount and the same was used for the purpose of relief as well, he said.
Responding to a query Zubair said that PML-N had been striving for supremacy of constitution and law of the land and respect state institutions including the judiciary.
“Our criticism on judicial orders is based on reasoning and logic and we point out only shortcomings,” he added.
He responding to another question said that Nawaz Sharif was an asset who had an enormous vote bank across the country and it was his right to return to the homeland and lead the party’s election campaign independently.
He had been facing an arbitrary treatment since six years and all the wrongdoings against him should be set aside now, he opined. (APP)
