LAHORE: NAB should not have the license to shame politicians just three months before election. This was observed by the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb while talking to the media after inquiring about the welfare of Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal here Wednesday.
She said that money laundering allegation against thrice elected former prime minister Muhammed Nawaz Sharif by NAB on the basis of rumours is absolutely ridiculous in view of the fact that the State Bank of Pakistan and the World Bank has already contradicted the story. She said that taking notice of fake news by the NAB Chairman was very disappointing.
Marriyum said that corruption of not even a single penny had been established in the six references that were filed against Nawaz Sharif because of which further extension in the trial period was being sought. Responding to a question she said that a precedent had been set in the country to abuse and denigrate anybody at any time coincided by a media trial.
The minister said that the only crime of Nawaz Sharif was that he was a popular leader and the people had thrice elected him as prime minister of the country adding that wherever he went he was followed by the masses. She said what was being done to Nawaz Sharif amounted to ridiculing the mandate of the people and that detestable act must come to an end.
The minister said that on the one hand a thrice elected prime minister was being put through the rigours of a trial and on the other hand a darling was acquitted from heinous cases. She said that the case of Nawaz Sharif was being heard day and night whereas the documents of yet another darling went missing.
Marriyum said that the cases against the Sharif family were quintessential of political vendetta and Nawaz Sharif had to endure two years of a tedious trial. The minister said that in spite of all those machinations, Nawaz Sharif would emerge triumphant in 2018 elections because the mandate of the people was not under the control of any body.
She said that the ‘aliens’ were those who sent the prime minister home repeatedly. She asked Imran to tell the people in his public rallies what he had done during the last five years.
Replying a question she said that the opponents could only hurl allegations against them but could not say even one sentence about their own performance. Marriyum said that the people of Sindh had the right to ask Bilawal to show the performance of the PPP government in any sphere and likewise the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa could ask Imran the same question.
She said that the liars continued the tsunami of billion lies during the last five years but they should be aware of the fact that they could not win the 2018 elections through lies and abuses. She said that the election would be fought on the basis of performance and not by using filthy language.
Earlier the minister while inquiring the welfare of the interior minister prayed for his early recovery and expressed noble wishes for him. Referring to the assassination attempt on Ahsan Iqbal she said that issuing of the statement of the attacker during the investigation was an immoral act. The minister said that Ahsan Iqbal had always served the nation and talked about prosperity and progress of the country. She said that he would soon be among them to continue the journey towards progress and service to the nation. Marriyum said that the JIT had started its investigations and after completion of the process the nation would be informed about the facts that were unraveled.
The minister also met senior journalist Mujib ur Rehman Shami and while talking to him she said that a law needed to be promulgated under which the proceedings of a case against a politicians should be held in abeyance before three to six months of the elections like the ban on recruitment and development projects by the ECP. She said that initiation of political cases just before elections amounted to pre-poll rigging.
Published in Daily Times, May 10th 2018.
