ISLAMABAD, DEC 30 (DNA) – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, responding to threats of resignations and long march by the opposition coalition PDM, has assured that Prime Minister Imran Khan will not resign on January 31 under any circumstances.
The Foreign Minister, addressing a press conference with other party leaders in Islamabad, said that neither is the government guilty of political revenge nor can it back down from pursuing accountability.
“No one is above the law,” he said. Opposition leaders are failing to justify their wealth, which is why there is so much hue and cry. Khawaja Asif should prove his innocence instead of playing politics. He was given the opportunity to answer NAB’s queries multiple times, but seemingly, he failed to satisfy them by providing a money trail, Qureshi added.
Shah Mahmood Qureshi clarified that NAB should not be linked with PTI government as it is an independent and sovereign body, headed by a Chairman appointed by previous government and operating under a law also prepared by previous governments.
The foreign minister said following the arrest of Khawaja Asif, the facts were becoming clearer as to why the opposition had been linking its support to FATF legislation with the abolition of 34 or 38 clauses in NAB law.
“Today, I understand…We were astonished as what was the link between NAB law and FATF. As the things are opening up, it shows they were using FATF as shield to amend NAB law,” the foreign minister remarked.
He said despite government’s efforts to delink the proposed amendments in NAB law with FATF legislation, the opposition was adamant to link their support with acceptance of their demand.
He said things were exposing with the cases of money laundering against opposition leaders and that was why they were seeking National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO). “NRO is name of relief. It was a program to save their skin and seek deliverance,” he said.
He told media that even the supporters of Maulana Fazlur Rehman also questioned as how NAB could dare call their leader to explain his assets.
He recalled that Imran Khan never declared himself above law when he was asked to proves his assets rather he produced even decades old documentary evidences for his defence. The opposition should also follow the same course and provide money trail, he added.
He told media that NAB was an independent institution not answerable to the government. Even PTI leadership had nothing to do with the appointment of NAB chairman, who was appointed by the PPP and PML-N during the latter’s government.
To a question, the foreign minister said the government was ready to talk to the opposition at the parliamentary forum, except on the NRO and NAB law
He mae it clear that Prime Minister Imran Khan would not resign by January 31, as demanded by the opposition, so they should go on with their agenda. He said the PDM had been shattered following the PPP’s decision on Tuesday.
However, he questioned the PPP as if they wanted to quit assemblies, why they decided to take part in bye-poll. Moreover, the seriousness of the PML-N regarding resignation was also exposed when the National Assembly Speaker called two of their members to verify their resignations submitted with the NA Secretariat and they refused to appear.
“They are just giving false hopes to the people. PDM should find out as who had cheated them,” he questioned. = DNA
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