Treason charges levelled by PM against opposition: Shehbaz asks COAS, ISI DG to share ‘evidence’ if there’s any

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif Tuesday asked Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Director General Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) Lt General Nadeem Anjum to clarify their position in the “threat letter” controversy and bring evidence if the opposition lawmakers have committed treason by bringing no-trust move against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Talking to media persons outside Supreme Court, Shehbaz said that Prime Minister Khan through the ruling by deputy speaker National Assembly has declared 197 members of the House as “traitors” which needs to be clarified and also asked the army chief whether he had signed the minutes of the National Security Committee’s meetings

“Today, I urge General Bajwa and the DG ISI, who are members of the National Security Committee, if, God forbid, we have committed treason, then the evidence should be made public before the nation and the same evidence should also be provided to the Supreme Court,” he demanded.

“If it was established that we haven’t committed any crime or invited any foreign power or used any foreign resource [for the no-confidence motion], then everything should be made crystal clear,” he further stated.

In a tweet, earlier in the day, Shehbaz stated: “Niazi has shamelessly accused entire Opposition in NA of being traitors. I demand of Army Chief & DG ISI to furnish proofs if we have committed any treason or we have used foreign funding & support in our no-trust motion. We will not let coward Niazi get away with these charges.”

Have not received any letter regarding caretaker PM: Shehbaz Sharif

In the media talk, Shehbaz further stated that the opposition, through its lawyers, will also call upon the apex court to form any forum to ascertain whether it was not the demand of the opposition for the last three and half years that it’s a “fake” government and it was the demand of the opposition from day one.

“When we present the no-confidence motion as per the law and the Constitution, then they started the slogans of treason. So, the time has arrived that the army chief, who has a reputation and numerous sacrifices for country’s defence, to indicate whether he had signed the NSC’s minutes if there was a foreign conspiracy and any role of the opposition in this regard,” he further asked, adding that whether they had the approval of the minutes.

To a question, Shehbaz, who is also leader of the opposition in the now dissolved National Assembly, said that he had not yet received any letter from President Dr Arif Alvi regarding the proposed names for the appointment of caretaker prime minister.

“As I speak, I have not received officially any letter from President Alvi who has violated the Constitution. As and when we receive the letter, we will talk with our lawyers and all the partners in the opposition. But, let first the court decision comes on violation of the Constitution by President Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan, then we will talk further,” he added.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters, PML-N vice president Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that it is a test case for the Supreme Court, as those attend the NSC or the President and the Prime Minister all are bound to take the oath for protection of the Constitution.

“If anyone from them abrogates the Constitution, a case under high treason is filed them as per Article 6 of Constitution. There is no other option. Today, the entire nation is looking towards the apex court as to whether our judiciary would come forward in protection of the Constitution or will it excuse itself form it,” he maintained.

He alleged that the President, Prime Minister, Speaker and Deputy Speaker, Law Minister and other federal ministers floated the plot and then openly broke the law in the National Assembly. “Who would ask an answer to this? It’s the Supreme Court which can get an answer to it,” he added.

He also urged the military leadership who attended the NSC meeting to tell the nation whether the 197 lawmakers belonging to the opposition have hatched a conspiracy against the country on the behest of a foreign country.

“I request the Supreme Court to call representative of the military and ask whether the NSC meeting on March 31 really decided that the opposition of Pakistan had hatched a conspiracy against their own country. If there was any conspiracy, then why cases under Article 6 were not lodged against us,” he added.

PML-N leader Miftah Ismail said that the party would release a “white-paper” on the alleged corruption of Prime Minister Khan and his party.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022