Politicians, media toeing the line of India: Abbasi

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Tuesday said the statement of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Mumbai attacks was ‘sheer misreporting’ by Indian media and those using it for political gains were in fact putting the national security at stake.

“It is unfortunate that our politicians and media are towing the line of India without verifying facts,” the prime minister said, in response to a point of order by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Shah Mehmood Qureshi at the National Assembly.

The prime minister said the meeting of the National Security Committee was convened to ‘condemn the impression created by misreporting of the interview’. “Nawaz Sharif had not given a standalone statement on Mumbai attacks, rather it was an out-of-the-context pick by the journalist out of a lengthy interview. The baseless issue that arose from misreporting should now come to an end,” he said.

The prime minister regretted that the loyalty of a person who made this country an impregnable nuclear state was being questioned, and added that “no one has the right to issue a certificate of patriotism.”

Abbasi said he was confident that the parliamentarians making fiery speeches against Nawaz Sharif had not even read the interview and were only making fuss out of nothing. He mentioned that even General (r) Pervez Musharraf, PTI chief Imran Khan, then national security adviser Mehmood Durrani, DG Inter-Services Intelligence and Senator Rehman Malik had given similar statements and referred to involvement of non-state actors in Mumbai attacks.

The prime minister said it was the long-standing policy of Pakistan not to allow use of its territory against any other country. “The same policy existed during the tenures of Pakistan People’s Party, General Musharraf and even earlier,” he emphasized. He said it was the responsibility of party leaders to go for a reality check before making statements. He said those wishing to go for formation of a truth and reconciliation commission may do so, but must keep in view the national interest. Following the prime minister’s speech, the opposition parties staged a walkout in protest.

While the premier was speaking, PTI MNA Shireen Mazari was admonished by NA speaker. “You have not learned anything in five years. Members cannot interrupt the speeches of the prime minister and opposition leader,” he told Mazari. She was also chided by Abbasi, who said those who make statements should have the patience to listen to others as well.

PTI Vice President Shah Mehmood Qureshi took the floor before the prime minister and brought the ruling party under fire for their Quaid’s statement. “What was the need for such a statement, Nawaz should explain himself,” he said. “Why was Cyril Almeida flown on a private aircraft for the interview? He earned his name from the Dawn Leaks scandal.”

Qureshi said that Nawaz is sticking to his statement and has even refuted the NSC’s statement on the matter. “His remarks have led to agitation between India and Pakistan. Seems to me as if Maryam and Nawaz deliberately gave the rejection statement.”

The PTI vice-president said that even coalition parties have distanced themselves from Nawaz’s statement. “With this interview, we are moving from the grey list to the black list,” he said, hinting to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that recently placed the country on the grey list. “He asks what’s wrong with his statement, we demand an explanation over why the statement was passed in the first place,” Qureshi added.

Published in Daily Times, May 16^th 2018.