Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Thursday came down hard on the government for arresting Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who was taken into custody by the National Accountability Bureau in connection with the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.
In a charged address before he walked out of the National Assembly along with other opposition parties in protest against Maryam's arrest, he severely criticised the government for 'pursuing its agenda of political victimisation' and said that similar cases were taken up against women during military dictator Zia Ul Haq's regime.
He said that that the country is witnessing "a new era of dictatorship" in Naya Pakistan which, according to him, Prime Minister Imran Khan wants to create by luring the youth of the country. "I watched the news of Maryam Nawaz's arrest on television. This government arrested an opposition leader, a woman. My family has been in politics for generations. Military dictator General Zia [Ul Haq] used to go after his political opponents like this. We are seeing a new era of dictatorship today, in Naya Pakistan," the PPP chairman said.
He called out the Prime Minister, claiming that the leader failed to deliver on his promise of justice. "History will remember that Imran Khan, who used to talk about justice, who told the youth of this country that he will deliver justice in his Naya Pakistan... today, without any conviction, you arrested Maryam Nawaz," Bilawal said.
Maryam was arrested prior to meeting her father, Nawaz Sharif at the Kot Lakhpat Jail. She was later taken to the NAB office in Lahore. Responding to Bilawal, Minister for Communication Murad Saeed said that Maryam has been arrested on corruption charges. He said those who looted the national wealth will be held accountable.
"We don't care who he/she is...the accountability has started from the top [and] all those involved in corruption will be nabbed, as this is the reason people voted Imran Khan into power. The accountability will continue," he declared. He emphasised that both the opposition parties have lost popularity among the masses for their immense corruption and cheating the nation, adding that they were behind National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) which cannot be given at any cost.
The members of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) also demonstrated before National Assembly speaker's dice to lodge their protest against the arrest of their party vice president in Lahore by the top anti-graft body. Amid rumpus, Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri who was presiding over the session adjourned the House till Friday at 11:00 a.m.
The lawmakers belonging to opposition, especially those belonging to the PPP and PML-N, chanted "shame, shame" slogans the moment Bilawal broke the news of Maryam's arrest by the NAB. The treasury benches also retaliated in the same tone and vowed that all those involved in plundering of the national wealth will not be spared. The House did not take up any of the agenda items appearing on orders of the day except question hour due to ruckus in the National Assembly.
Comments
Comments are closed.