Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: While criticising his own political party, Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Riaz Hussain Pirzada on Thursday urged Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif to ‘take over’ the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Addressing a ‘meet the press’ event at the National Press Club, the PML-N minister said that cases had already been initiated against party head Nawaz Sharif and that it was a test of his wisdom and leadership qualities that how he succeeds in keeping the party intact in such a situation.

“If we want to keep the party alive, then we will have to take some decisions,” Pirzada suggested. “It is the best option that Shehbaz Sharif takes over the office of party president … because he is the person who is present in the masses.”

He said the advice of Punjab chief minister to avoid confrontation with institutions was absolutely right. “If his advice is ignored by Nawaz Sharif, it will only create chaos in the country,” he opined, adding, “If Khulfa-e-Rashideen can appear before judges, then nobody is above those personalities … Nawaz should present himself for accountability and the courts should also do justice.”

“Uncertainty prevails among general public because we could not deliver as per their expectations,” the minister admitted. Strongly criticising an alleged list prepared by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) of lawmakers having links with banned outfits, Pirzada said, “We have reached the National Assembly but we are still terrorists. what will be the stance of our government if US attacks parliament on the bases of this report?” he questioned.

Published in Daily Times, October 20^th 2017.