Daily Times

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders on Monday hit out at the incumbent government, accusing it of taking inadequate measures to stem the coronavirus that has claimed nearly 200 lives across the country.

While addressing a news conference flanked by PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz and Senator Musadik Malik, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi alleged that it is because of the incompetence of the present government that the people of Pakistan might have to suffer in the coming days.

“Previously the government was not able to make a timely decision for imposing a lockdown in the country and now they were so quick to ease restrictions even though the number for coronavirus cases is swelling with each passing day”, criticised Abbasi.

Stressing upon the fact that these decisions should be brought under question during National Assembly sessions, the PML-N lawmaker rued that the authorities have failed to take effective measures in order to mitigate the adverse effects of coronavirus.

Referring to Shehbaz Sharif’s appearance before National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the former prime minister said: “It is so unfair that NAB can’t wait, although Sharif has submitted all required documents before the court.”

The national accountability watchdog should now demand documents from Prime Minister Imran Khan, Shehzad Akbar, and chairman NAB, he said, condemning the discriminatory behaviour of authorities towards PML-N and its leaders. Abbasi demanded that Shehbaz Sharif should be interrogated on-camera on April 22. He further said that they are not afraid of being locked up in jail but Shehbaz Sharif’s treatment reeks of incompetence and dishonesty, which they will not stand for. He said that remarks given by Supreme Court and High Court about NAB are hidden to no one. Last week, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif skipped a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) hearing on Friday due to the coronavirus situation in the country. According to PML-N’s spokesperson Attaullah Tarar, Sharif is a cancer survivor and his health does not permit him to appear before the corruption watchdog amid the current situation of coronavirus.

The anti-graft body had summoned the PML-N leader in a money laundering case and had asked him to submit bank details along with the loan taken from Barclays bank between 2005 to 2007.

“A complete detail of your foreign assets along with the year of acquisition/disposal and source of personal/bank loans along with details of loan repayment and current outstanding loan should be provided,” reads the questionnaire sent to Shehbaz Sharif.

He also criticised the National Accountability Bureau for not taking action on the sugar and wheat scandals, saying that the country cannot be run in the presence of such a government and NAB. He said that the country’s economy has been destroyed by the incumbent government and if the same attitude persists, who will want to invest in Pakistan?

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Monday that the rulers who could not run the affairs of the country were thrown out of power by the people of Pakistan in the previous elections. Prime Minister Imran Khan was taking steps to protect the people from outbreak of coronavirus and save them from hunger, she said this in a tweet in response to the press conference of Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz’s Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. She said that today the whole nation was engaged in the war against coronavirus, but the PML- N leadership was worried about Sharif family.

She said that Nawaz- League leadership was remembering Shehbaz Sharif as they were deprived of power in the Punjab now.

She said that the Opposition Leader after his return from England instead of standing with the masses, has preferred to remain in self-isolation. Those who used the law for personal benefits, should know that in Naya Pakistan national institutions were free and law was supreme.

She urged Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to ask Sharif family to return the looted money of the nation.

She said this was time to serve the nation, but the PML- N leadership was not even pretending to spend a few pennies from their pockets on the coronavirus victims. Dr Firdous asked Sharif family to stand with the people of the country which they ruled for decades.