Opposition parties trying to mislead masses, intimidate ECP by protest march: Shibli

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz on Sunday said opposition parties' planned protest outside Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was a crude attempt to mislead masses and intimidate the national institution.

Members of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Paksitn Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), unable to submit satisfactory replies to ECP Scrutiny Committee regarding foreign funding, were now trying to mislead masses by protest rally, Shibli Faraz said while addressing a press conference flanked by Parliamentary Secretary for Railways Farrukh Habib.

He said that as the prime minister had already predicted that the opposition would get united against him and they gathered under one umbrella to protect their corruption.

He said during their rule, both the PPP and PML-N paralyzed the national institutions. He said both the parties had appointed their cronies in national institutions who used to protect their interests at the cost of national interest.

Shibli Faraz said Pakistan Democratic Movement was a matter of the past as the masses had rejected their narrative and refused to join their protest rallies which were meant to protect their looted money.

He said these parties have played all their cards. Shibli Faraz said PDM has faced defeat and embarrassment on all fronts.

He said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) has already submitted all the details related to the foreign funding it had received, to the Election Commission.

The minister said PTI has submitted 40,000 entries with addresses, telephone numbers and authenticated transactions. On the contrary, he said parties of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) have not been able to submit replies regarding foreign funding till date.

Shibli Faraz said PDM parties had tried to trap PTI but now they themselves were caught in their own web.

The Election Commission scrutiny committee repeatedly asked for the identity cards and addresses of the persons who donated for both the parties but they had failed to provide any satisfactory answer.

He said both the former ruling parties had acted as if the country was their personal property.

He asked them to submit the details to the Election Commission so that public should know who was liar and fraud. He asked PDM leaders to appear before the scrutiny committee and submit required documents and account for illicit funding instead of hiding behind protesting gangs.

Faraz said when the National Accountability Bureau sent notice to Maulana Fazalur Rehman, he threatened to hold a sit in front of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) which proved that he had no proofs to satisfy the bureau.

Similarly, he said they have been making hue and cry about rigging in 2018 elections but have not provided a single proof.

To another question he said PDM has been discredited both nationally and internationally as they had been trying to hoodwink the to protect their corruption. He said people have rejected their narrative.

The minister said it was ironic that those who were benefited from National Reconciliation Ordinance accusing the present government of wrong-doings in the Broadsheet issue.

He added that the prime minister had constituted a committee which would bring the United kingdom judge in the Broadsheet case and expose former ruler.