ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday strongly condemned booking of the party leaders in cases of "criminal conspiracy" against Pakistan, and vowed to continue speaking up for supremacy of the Constitution "even if this is termed as treason".
Speaking at a news conference, former premier and senior PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, party's secretary-general Ahsan Iqbal, and others, dared the government ministers to become party in the case against them instead of using others for the purpose.
"If the ministers themselves have the courage, they should come forward and the interior minister himself should lodge the case against us instead of using Badar Rasheed - a "citizen" who lodged the FIR against PML-N leaders on Monday," Abbasi said, adding the PML-N would confront the cases.
On Monday, a case was registered against former premier and PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Rana Sanaullah, Ahsan Iqbal, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Pervez Rashid, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Ataullah Tarar, and others, at the Shahdara Police Station in Lahore for "conspiring" against the country and state institutions.
The case was registered by a citizen, Badar Rasheed, under Section 10 (cyber-terrorism) of the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (2016), and sections 120-A (definition of criminal conspiracy), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 121-A (conspiracy to wage war against Pakistan), 123-A (condemning the creation of the country and advocating the abolishment of its sovereignty), 124-A (sedition) and 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
"If speaking up for the supremacy of the Constitution, highlighting public issues is a "sedition", then there will be "sedition" everyday...if talking about sending the government back to home is also "treason", then there will be "treason" daily," Abbasi added.
He said, "If disclosing of the conspiracy against the country, closure of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and selling out Kashmir, all come under 'treason', they will continue to highlight these issues daily."
He said the government spoke up with its performance and efficiency, instead of using abusive language against its opponents.
"I just want to tell the ministers, if you have courage, compete with us in the field of politics... handcuff all of us, if you really have the courage," he added.
Abbasi said the ministers were supposed to talk about their performance, but instead of telling the nation about the hike in prices of sugar, wheat flour and other commodities, the ministers were engaged in lambasting the opponents.
"All the problems of the people and corruption have come to an end that's why they are busy in pressers against opponents for the last many days," he said sarcastically.
"If you are left with nothing else against someone, it is easy to label them with treason. The matter [anti-government drive] has not started, and they [the government has already] resorted to using its last tactic in frustration," Abbasi maintained.
He further said the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) would eradicate corruption, inflation, and miseries of the people.
Ahsan Iqbal said the opposition would confront everyone who deviated from the constitution of Pakistan, adding the PDM's objective was supremacy of the Constitution and restoration of the "true" democracy in the country.
"Today every Pakistani who is living a life in peace knows very well who were those who ended the lawlessness, the power crisis and those who brought the CPEC, and built motorways across the country," he said.
He added that those who had put Pakistan on the path of development, increased the economic growth from three percent to 5.8 percent were being labeled as "traitors" and those who had ruined the economy and reversed the CPEC projects, were "patriotic"... "this game will not work anymore".
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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