ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, along with other federal ministers, on Friday pushed back against PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan’s recent remarks on the acquittals of the Sharif family, describing the senior lawyer as a “betrayer”.

He said the government reserved the right to take action as per law for taking Chief of Army Staff’s name. To a question about taking action under Article 6 against PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan for naming Chief of Army Staff, Asif without taking his name stated that it was not wise to give a political life to a person whose political value was insignificant.

The government said on Friday that the general elections would be held on time and according to the Constitution, adding that if a decision of early election is taken it would not be taken under any pressure and dictation.

He said the Constitution allowed early elections but there was no sign of if any decision of early election was taken it would be taken by the PDM government led by the prime minister and not as a result of any pressure. Minister of Planning and Development, Ahsan Iqbal, added that there was no possibility of general elections in the two provinces of Sindh and Balochistan because the government would require at least six to eight months for rehabilitation of the people affected by the floods in the two provinces.

PPP leader demands removal of Aitzaz from party

In addition, he said the results of new population census would come in March 2023 and after that the ECP would be needing four months for delimitation of constituencies as per the new census.

To a question about removing PTI government in the two provinces as well as GB and AJK, he said that as the federal government was removed through vote of no confidence the same can be applied over there as well when it is considered appropriate.

He said during the last three and a half years of former prime minister Imran Khan’s government, the relations of the country with the world deteriorated, which had been improved by foreign visits of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Those visits of the premier had been very helpful in improving relations with rest of the world as Shehbaz held meetings with more than 40 heads of state during the last four months.

He met with the leaders of neighbouring countries, the Middle East, Central Asia, China, the US, and other countries in Kazakhstan as well. He said the prime minister visited one after another were successful.

He also came down hard on the former prime minister and stated that he as prime minister has taken approval of the money in a sealed envelope from the cabinet to transfer 190 million in the liability account of Malik Riaz. He said that no cabinet member was aware as to what was in the sealed envelope. Former prime minister sole moto was to make money, he alleged.

In addition, Asif said when Imran Khan was in power he used to state that he and General Qamar Javed Bajwa are on one page and that taping is a good thing but now he has taken a totally opposite stance. There were various questions by difference quarter on acquittal of Shehbaz Sharif, Hamza Sharif, and Maryam Nawaz in the cases, he said, adding that he would like to state with categorical manners that his party leaders have proven from his statement and actions during the last four, five years that they do not want to violate the judicial system and fully respect it and after former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s appearances before the JIT, Shehbaz Sharif has appeared before the court and all the leaders of the ruling party have gone through the process. He said to criticise and attack this process stating that someone has made a phone call for acquittal from the cases.

He said that the acquittal was not result of any deal.

He said that the federal government has been fulfilling its responsibility and the PTI government which is in power in the province of KP for the last 13 years but has not done anything except promoting corruption in the province. We are in touch with the members’ countries of the FATF as it is the country’s need to convince them. About donor conference, he said that donors’ conference was offered by French President and it would be held in November 2022 besides the UN, France, and other countries have assured the prime minister that flow of fund and goods for flood victims would continue.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022