Sharif brothers patronizing corrupt politics: Awan

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Sunday said that Sharif brothers are personally indulged in corruption in Punjab for the last 30 years.

In a statement issued here, she castigated Punjab Chief Minister Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif for his anti-democracy and anti-Pakistan remarks while addressing expatriates in London last day.

"Shahbaz was pursuing the agenda of enemies of the country. He must keep national interests supreme while speaking abroad as he enjoys an official post," she observed.

She said that such statements could be given by only those people, who only love to keep their interests supreme. The minister demanded that the Sharifs should make their property public which they own in UK, Saudia and other countries.

The Sharifs frequently pay visits abroad on official expense to look after their personal property affairs, they should come up publicly and must declare whatever wealth they own abroad, she said. The Sharifs must stop issuing such unnecessary statements which are bent upon discrediting the country as well as democracy.

"Such people flee the country when the motherland is in any trouble. For them whatever trouble to Pakistan is of no consequence as they run as the first sign of trouble appears.

She added the example of Sharif's fleeing the country during the era of Gen (r) Musharraf in 1999 while leaving the people on the mercy of Musharraf Junta.

Recalling the past frauds of the Sharifs, she said same old tactics are being used to loot the provincial exchequer. She cited the examples of the revival of Yellow cabs, Danish school, Aaysiana scheme, Sasti Roti, where billion of rupees are being squandered.

Both the brothers have not yet mend their ways as they are vociferously patronizing MNA from capital Anjum Aqeel, who devoured billion of rupees of Police Foundation.

The Sharif brothers have also constructed roads in their Raiwind Estate on official expenses which is miserable as a vast chunk of the province lacks even basic facilities. They should not make their personal benefits out of public money, she observed.

The funds of Punjab must be diverted for the welfare and improving the lot of the commonman, she said.

She appreciated the leadership of the President and Prime Minister on unanimous passage of Seventh National Finance Commission Award, empowering provinces, adding that these steps would strengthen the democracy in the country as well as democratic institutions.

She said, the PPP leadership has ended the country's isolation, renamed a province.

"It is for the first time in the country's history that the federation has devolved its powers to the provinces to make them autonomous," concluded the Minister for Information and Broadcasting.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011