Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan on Saturday said, “My government will never reconcile or give NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) to those who did corruption.”
His remarks came during a public procession in Mianwali.
“We are ready to talk to everyone who has a different ideology or whom we call right or left,” said the prime minister.
“We are ready to resolve our issues with them peacefully, be they in Balochistan or erstwhile tribal areas of Waziristan. The only ones whom we will never have any reconciliation with are those who looted and laundered Pakistani people’s money,” said the premier.
“Every respectable society puts its thieves in jails and doesn’t strike deals with them. The prosperous countries have [one] rule of law, while those that are poor have different laws for the powerful and the weak are in jails,” said PM Khan.
The power to remove the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman from office has been withdrawn from the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and given to the president, as per the National Accountability (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, which has been approved by President Arif Alvi, reports Geo News.
The NAB chairman’s tenure, as per the new ordinance, will be of four years. The criteria for the removal of a NAB chairman will be the same as the one for the removal of a Supreme Court judge, according to the new Ordinance.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif criticised the new Ordinance and said that the government had spared no efforts to push the Opposition to the wall. He claimed that the government had introduced a new NAB ordinance to give itself National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).
Addressing a ceremony to lay the foundation for the upgradation of the Multan-Lodhran section of the N-5 Motorway, Prime Minister Imran Khan said, “Those who call themselves democratic are demanding the military to topple the government.”
“From day one, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government faced criticism from the Opposition, which was poised to topple the government unless their leaders were given an NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance),” said Khan.
“These mafias are bent upon doing anything to safeguard their interests as billions of dollars stashed by them abroad through money looted in the country are being probed,” he said. PM added that rule of law changes society and ensures that there are no sugar and land mafias.
“Change is not possible without a struggle,” Khan said adding that the Opposition raised a hue and cry regarding a change a week after they [PTI] took power.
“My own people had to face a tough time. The media also gave an impression that Naya Pakistan can emerge by switching a button on,” he said.
PM Khan said the country registered a growth of 4 per cent this financial year despite the challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic. He said we not only saved our people from the pandemic, but also the economy.
The government is focusing on uplifting the agriculture sector, industries, IT, housing and tourism sectors, he said, adding that a package is being introduced for the farmers to bring a green revolution in the country.
Senior journalist Haroonur Rasheed has claimed that the establishment has agreed to let Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz go abroad like her father Nawaz Sharif, but Prime Minister Imran Khan has refused to let her leave Pakistan.
In a TV show, Rasheed claimed that Maryam Nawaz wants to travel abroad but she cannot do so because her name is on the no-fly list due to her alleged involvement in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case. According to the journalist, Maryam approached the powers-that-be for relief.
The establishment agreed to grant Maryam’s wish but PM Imran Khan flatly denied her request, he claimed, hinting at an alleged rift between the prime minister and the establishment.
As per Rasheed, Imran has told the establishment that it will stop Maryam from leaving Pakistan at all costs. “I will stop her from travelling abroad even if it costs me my government or freedom,” the PM was quoted by Rasheed as saying.
Recently, Maryam Nawaz said that she had a medical condition that couldn’t be treated in Pakistan, but she would never ask the incumbent regime for relief.
Last week, former minister and PML-Zia chief Ijazul Haq claimed that establishment and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif struck a deal after which the PML-N supreme leader was allowed to travel to London.
In an interview with Samaa, the ex-minister claimed the change in platelets count was an NRO deal. “Certainly, there was establishment involved,” Haq had claimed. He had claimed that he knew the “platelets and blood report of Sharif was changed to facilitate his escape from Pakistan”.
“I know that the platelet or blood report was something else and the report on paper was something else,” he said. Haq said the information is “authentic” and he has “proof” to substantiate his claim, reported Samaa.
It may be noted that the former premier was rushed to hospital from jail after a drastic decrease in his platelets. Subsequently, he was allowed to go abroad for treatment in Nov 2019 after submitting an assurance in the court.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is in London for more than one year due to medical reasons and his passport is also expired.
The establishment allowed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to go to London for medical treatment as a part of an NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance] deal struck between the two parties, claimed Ijazul Haq, former minister and son of military dictator Gen Ziaul Haq.
اعجازالحق نے سماء کو انٹرويو ميں کہا کہ نوازشريف کے پليٹليٹس ميں تبديلی ہی اين آراو تھا، سوال ہوا کہ نوازشريف کو اين آر او کس نے ديا؟ جواب آيا لازمی طور پر اس ميں اسٹيبلشمنٹ ہو گی اور بعد ميں عمران خان اس کا حصہ بن گئے، نوازشریف اسٹیبلشمنٹ سے خود بھی رابطے میں تھے#NawazSharifpic.twitter.com/PBtXUjxE4A
In an interview with Samaa, the ex-minister claimed the change in platelets count was an NRO deal. “Certainly, there was establishment involved,” Haq claimed.
Haq claimed that he knew the “platelets and blood report of Sharif was changed to facilitate his escape from Pakistan”.
“I know that the platelet or blood report was something else and the report on paper was something else,” he said. Haq said the information is “authentic” and he has “proof” to substantiate his claim, reported Samaa.
It may be noted that the former premier was rushed to hospital from jail after a drastic decrease in his platelets. Subsequently, he was allowed to go abroad for treatment in Nov 2019 after submitting an assurance in the court.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is in London for more than one year due to medical reasons and his passport is also expired.
The government has refused to renew his passport, saying it could issue an emergency travel document on his request for returning back to the country.
However, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has tried all means to bring Nawaz back but without any success. PM Imran had announced that he would go to the UK himself to bring Nawaz back.
His statement was followed by Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed saying that only Allah can bring Nawaz Sharif back. But eventually, the government decided that it won’t renew the passport of the ex-PM in an attempt to force his hand.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Ali Muhammad Khan has claimed that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is not taking part in the protest outside the Election Commission of Pakistan because he may have been given an NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance].
The PTI minister, who appeared on Nadeem Malik’s show alongside PPP’s Qamaruz Zaman Kaira, said the PPP chairperson is avoiding the opposition rally because he may have reached a deal over the corruption cases against him. He, however, went on to say that the incumbent government doesn’t believe in making deals with corrupt politicians.
The PTI minister, however, refused to confirm if Bilawal and his father have actually been given a clean chit in the graft cases against them: “Maybe they have received the NRO, I have no idea.”
However, Ali Muhammad Khan claimed that his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has never received or given an NRO.
This prompted the host to ask if the PTI has refused to give NRO to anyone, then who has given Bilawal this alleged NRO to dissuade him from joining the opposition protest. “Is there a government above the PTI government,” he asked.
The host asked: “Has Bilawal been given an NRO?”
“I don’t know,” said Ali Muhammad Khan. “We don’t give NRO,” he said, adding that the PPP and PML-N’s politics is based on NROs.
Taking a dig at the PTI leader, Kaira said that on the one hand the minister says “his party doesn’t give NROs, and, on the other, he claims that Bilawal has received an NRO which is why he is not a part of the opposition protest; who is dishing out these NROs then — is there a government above the government?”
He said the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is protesting outside the ECP for the very same reason — an end to the government above the government.
PROTEST OUTSIDE ECP:
Tensions are running high in the twin cities, especially the federal capital, as the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) remains undeterred on plans to hold a protest outside the office of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) against the delay in the decision of ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) foreign funding case.
With security around the ECP being tightened to avoid any untoward incident, Geo News reported that the federal government has deployed two platoons of Punjab Rangers along with police personnel and sealed the election watchdog’s main entrance with barbed wires.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has said the Pakistan Democratic Movement, a joint opposition alliance, was putting pressure on the Pakistan Army for NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance] after he refused to give them relief.
Speaking during a meeting of the party spokespersons, the prime minister said he would never give an NRO to the opposition parties and they cannot blackmail him into doing so either.
If the opposition was serious in its quest for free and fair polls, it should have supported the government in bringing about electoral reforms, he said, adding that the opposition has “always used parliament for their personal interests”.
The opposition didn’t take part in legislation over the past two years, the PM added. He further said that they could never misguide the masses by telling lies. The premier said that the opposition would have stopped protesting had he accepted their proposals to amend the accountability laws.
On Saturday, PM Imran had claimed that a forward bloc would be formed in the opposition parties if they tried to resign from the assemblies. “I can give you in writing that there will be a forward bloc in opposition if they move to resign from assemblies,” he had said while speaking to media persons in Chakwal.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Miftah Ismail lashed out at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senator Faisal Javed after the latter accused him of seeking an NRO [national reconciliation ordinance].
Miftah, who appeared on Geo’s Naya Pakistan show alongside Senator Javed and Hamid Mir to discuss the Lahore jalsa, took exception to the remarks made by the PTI senator.
“Miftah sent a message to late PTI leader Naeemul Haq through his brother Maqsood Iqbal for an NRO,” said Senator Javed in response to Miftah Ismail, who challenged him to reveal the names of people seeking NRO from the government.
At this, Miftah asked why would he seek NRO? Senator Javed responded that he wanted graft cases against quashed that’s why he asked his brother to approach the PTI leader for relief.
“You should feel ashamed for lying,” said a visibly incensed Miftah, going to call the PTI senator ‘shameless’. “Tell me who sought the NRO; if you are a son of your father then tell me who asked for an NRO,” Miftah lashed out, asking for proof.
“Entire Pakistan knows that Miftah Ismail is an honourable man,” said the PML-N leader, adding that he doesn’t live off of the back of others.
At this, Senator Javed said Naeemul Haq has passed away else he would have given proof.
The government ministers, including PM Imran Khan, have accused the opposition of seeking NRO — a charge the opposition denies.
Former jailed prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif and ex-president Asif Ali Zardari are ready to strike a deal for their release on the condition that PM Imran Khan leaves politics, senior journalist Dr Moeed Pirzada has said.
Sharing a “theory doing rounds in political quarters”, while hosting “Hard Talk Pakistan” television programme on a private media outlet Monday night, the journalist said that the two incarcerated leaders were ready to pay even more than $10 billion, but do not want to plead guilty.
“They are seeking plea bargains and might pay up to $20 billion, but are not ready to confess. They’re ready to leave the country but want a future for their children in politics,” he said.
WATCH VIDEO:
Rumours are rife for the past few days as several journalists claim an underhand deal allegedly being negotiated between political leaders jailed over corruption charges and the PM Imran-led government.
No official statements have made headlines as of yet.
Former president Asif Ali Zardari’s daughter, Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, has said that no one even ever asked the Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan-led government for a National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) and her father “would not be striking any deals to avail it”.
NRO is an ordinance issued by former military ruler General (r) Pervez Musharraf in 2007. It grants amnesty to politicians, political workers and bureaucrats who are accused of corruption, embezzlement, money laundering or even murder.
In her maiden solo interview to BBC Urdu, the late PM Benazir Bhutto’s daughter on Sunday said that her father spent over eleven years in jail where he was tortured without conviction and he didn’t make any deals even back then.
“People of Pakistan are living in abhorring conditions, while the government is continuously insisting that it won’t give an NRO to anyone,” she said.
WATCH VIDEO:
“…but the question is that who even asked the government for one?”
To a question regarding joining politics, Aseefa said it was not a compulsion, but one could raise his or her voice for the masses by entering politics. “I will continue to be their voice along with my brother.”
She also said that family members of the jailed former president were not satisfied with the healthcare facilities being provided to the latter in prison.
