ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday described dethroning of Balochistan chief minister and his government as a ‘joke’ with democracy and resolved to unearth motives behind the ‘conspiracy’. “It is beyond my comprehension as to why the member of a minority party in the House who secured just a few hundred votes in the general election was made the chief minister of the province. I have convened a meeting that will also be attended by Baloch leaders to discuss the matter,” he said. “Dethroning a chief minister of a majority party in an engineered manner to bring forth a person whose guarantee money was near to be confiscated is a joke with the nation as well as democracy,” he said. “Balochistan issue should be taken seriously. We will deliberate on the situation at the party level,” he added. When asked about proceedings against him in the NAB court, Nawaz Sharif said media and whole nation was witnessing the case which carried no weight for lacking any concrete evidence. To explain further, Nawaz narrated the story of a famous movie released in Lahore in 1960s. “After it was released, someone asked how the movie was faring. To which, the producer replied, “Pehlay haftay zabardast, doosray haftay zabardasti (The first week was great but the second was forced)”. “My case is like the same movie where during earlier days much hue and cry was made but with the passage of time it is losing weight. That is why I fail to understand what actually the case against me is?” he said, adding there is nothing against him in the reference because things based on baseless accusations never last long. To a question about agitation planned for Wednesday by opposition parties, Nawaz Sharif said he could not understand this move when only four to five months were remaining in next general elections. “I cannot understand the motive behind this protest. These parties should wait for elections and people will decide whom they like to elect,” he added. Nawaz Sharif also talked about arrival of Dr Tarhirul Qadri and his announcement of waging struggle against the government, saying his arrival at a time when the nation was preparing for next general elections carries some message for the people. During hearing of the corruption references against Sharif family on Tuesday at the accountability court, NAB Additional Director Nasir Junejo recorded his statement in the Flagship reference. Nawaz Sharif’s lawyer Khawaja Harris asked him whether he was part of the inquiry against Sharif family in 2017, to which he responded with ‘yes’. A total of 13 witnesses have recorded their statements so far in three cases against the disqualified premier. Published in Daily Times, January 17th 2018.