Daily Times

LAHORE: Three major Opposition parties in the Punjab Assembly on Thursday issued a joint declaration seeking resignation of PM Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

No parliamentary leader or legislator from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) joined the meeting held at the Leader of the Opposition Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed’s chamber at the Assembly Secretariat.

However, a resolution making the same demand submitted with the Assembly secretariat has PPP’s stamp of approval on it.

Thursday’s meeting was attended by PTI’s Sabtain Khan, Waheed Asghar Dogar, Dr Murad Rass, and Shanila Ruth; Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) deputy parliamentary leader Sardar Waqas Moakal; and Jamaat Islami Pakistan’s (JIP) parliamentary leader Dr Waseem Akhtar. The five-point declaration stated that the JIT had found PM Nawaz Sharif to be an owner of an offshore company and involved in money laundering. “Sharif cannot be considered honest and trustworthy under Article 63 and 62 of the Constitution of Pakistan. He is not fit to lead the country as the premier,” it noted. On CM Shahbaz Sharif, the declaration noted that he was the main accused in the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case involving money laundering to the tune of USD 8 million. It said the chief minister was also accused of using his office’s influence to let installation of his family’s sugar mills in prohibited areas. This amounted to misuse of authority, it said. The declaration announced its support for disqualification reference against the CM and termed the criticism on JIT from the ruling party as against the norms of democracy.The declaration further stated that an awareness campaign would soon be started among the masses on the Panama Papers case. Facts from the JIT report would be highlighted in this campaign.

Published in Daily Times, July 14^th , 2017.