Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry Saturday said that the vacant position of the leader of opposition in Senate is PTI’s right.

Addressing media in Islamabad, the PTI leader said that the letter written by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman to the Senate chairman is ‘Calibri Part-II’, claiming that the party penned fake signatures of senators on nomination papers of their candidate.

Chaudhry said the PPP has reached out to the PTI to suggest names for the caretaker prime minister in the wake of upcoming general elections. “We will fully partake in this process …. the names of caretaker CMs for Punjab and KP will also be provided. Sheikh Rashid will prove to be a good caretaker PM,” he added.

The PTI leader said that Nawaz Sharif’s cases are reaching conclusion. “Sharifs have admitted to their London properties. Hussain Nawaz has also conceded to his ownership of some 16 companies …. Rs 300 billion were put in these companies. All these allegations have been conceded to by the Sharif family,” he said. “What does NAB need to prove now?” he asked. “All that needs to be done is that the charges are framed. Nawaz has hidden his sons in London and put his daughter on the forefront of his politics,” he added.

The PTI leader said that Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif had spent Rs 900 billion in the province but education and health sectors were still in an abysmal state. He said that the developmental projects in Punjab can only be seen in the newspapers. “Had the funds been spent on citizens, it would have been a different story,” he added.

“The arrest of Ahad Cheema in Ashiyana Housing Scheme scandal is a new story in the corruption tale,” he said. “Millions have been spent on Danish schools. The Yellow Cab scheme has also been shut down. Billions of rupees were wasted on the laptop scheme. The ‘Sasti Roti’ scheme saw Rs 40 billion spent, of which no audit was ever conducted. None of the aforementioned scandals have ever been investigated properly,” he added.

The PTI leader termed the decision to again change police uniform in Punjab beyond comprehension. He alleged that Rs 24 million were spent only on their badges and belts. “Close to 800,000 meters cloth has been bought for the new uniforms and now the old uniforms are being renewed again,” he wondered.

Published in Daily Times, March 18^th 2018.