Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The military establishment has demanded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif take action against 120 politicians, including two of his cabinet members, on corruption and terrorism-related charges.

Sources told Daily Times that the military establishment presented the list to the civilian leadership at a recent meeting held at the Prime Minister’s House to review progress on the national action plan. The establishment, reportedly, also shared some documentary evidence about the people on the list, who face charges of corruption, misuse of authority and financial support to the banned organisations as well some groups involved in spreading sectarian hatred.

Sources said two federal ministers besides one provincial minister from Punjab, four to five provincial ministers from Sindh, a few advisors and members of national and provincial assemblies are part of the list. Some senior government functionaries and businessmen are also part of the group against whom the military leadership wants strict action to make the national action plan a real success story.

Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif has time and again made it clear that the national action plan can’t serve the purpose unless an across-the-board action against terrorists and their supporters is initiated and all channels of funding to the terrorist groups are choked.

By sharing the list, the military establishment has threw the ball in the court of the prime minister who has to give green signal for launch of a formal investigation against these influential persons.

The prime minister is under pressure due to the current political uncertainty and security situation in the country and wants to delay the matter for some time but the military establishment wants a prompt and indiscriminate action, the sources maintained.

One of the influential ministers in the federal cabinet, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan also wants swift action against these people. He has reportedly advised the prime minister that the ruling party must not give any type of ‘shelter’ to the people involved in corruption, money-laundering and support of terrorist organisations and extremists groups.