Daily Times

LAHORE – Pak Sarzameen Party’s (PSP) leader Raza Haroon has demanded of the government to take serious action against politicians involved in anti-state activities including Altaf Hussain, a London-based Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should solve the Panama Papers issue in the parliament rather than addressing the nation on TV several times, he said while addressing a press conference at the Lahore Press Club here on Sunday.

PSP Punjab leaders Iftikhar Randhawa, Karamat Sheikh, Muzamil Bukhari, Shaukat Shah and Saeed Shah were also present on the occasion. It is pertinent to mention here that all these leaders were previously office bearer of the MQM Punjab chapter.

Criticising the prime minister, Raza said that Nawaz Sharif should have taken the parliament into the confidence rather than addressing the nation through the state-run television channels. The National Assembly speaker should have ask the prime minister to clarify the situation, as this was the best democratic solution of resolving the matter, he said.

He said that the government had to involve the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) rather than to constitute a ‘useless’ commission. These departments were supposed to be active in investigating the issue as the commission would ultimately turn to these departments for further investigation, he said.

– People friendly manifesto in making –

He said that Altaf Hussain has been involved in anti-state activities therefore he should be punished strictly but the government was not active in this matter as it have to be active. “No sympathy should be given to people involved in such activities which could harm our country,” he said.

On a question about the PSP’s manifesto, he was of the view that the newly-formed party has not finalised its manifesto yet. “We are working on it (manifesto) for making it people friendly.” He said that the PSP would also provide the list of party leaders across Pakistan to the Election Commission.

To a query regarding joining of the MQM leaders, he was of the view that any person from his former party MQM can join this new party except four leaders including Altaf Hussain. “No member of MQM-Haqeeqi would be entertain,” he said. “Any person who is patriotic, law abiding and have a positive political background is welcome to join PSP.”

“For PSP, regional identities should be kept aside and we should think as a Pakistani,” he said. Earlier, the MQM Punjab leader said that he would work to spread PSP’s mission to every nook and corner of the largest province of Pakistan. He said that people from every district would join the new party soon.