Former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has hinted at launching a new political party soon, ARY News reported on Tuesday.
“We are holding consultations and groundwork is in progress for a new political party,” he told the media while arriving for a NAB hearing. “The country needs a new political party,” he said.
The senior politician requested that the president and prime minister abolish the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) as it is necessary to save the country.
“I don’t want withdrawal of cases against me but decision on all these cases,” he said.
Abbasi also said on a question regarding his meet-up with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawab Sharif that “I am ready to meet him, when he will summon.”
In a statement spoken outside the anti-corruption department office in Rawalpindi, veteran politician and former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi voiced apprehensions about the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 8, asserting that the current electoral landscape could lead to chaos in the country.
“Making an election purposeful is the job of the political leadership. This election has become purposeless. The political, military, and judicial leadership of the country should sit together on the table and determine the way forward for the country,” Abbasi said while talking to media.
He showed up in the office for interrogation in a case related to alleged embezzlement in the Ghora Gali and Marri Road projects.
Abbasi highlighted that it was the responsibility of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, and caretaker Premier Anwaarul Haq Kakar to ensure that the upcoming elections were “non-controversial”.
“With each passing day, I become more satisfied that I made the right decision. Such an election, which does not give the country anything other than incitement and flaws; at least I did not play a part in this misdeed,” he said.
He stressed that politicians “should realize that the country can never make progress if its elections become controversial”.
Expressing concern over the potential controversy surrounding the elections, Abbasi stressed that elections are a sacred process and should not be made contentious. He pointed to alleged rigging in the 2018 elections, stating that the system did not function then and is unlikely to do so now.
The former Prime Minister criticized the three largest political parties in the country, asserting that they have failed to address and resolve critical issues. Abbasi predicted the emergence of multiple political parties in Pakistan shortly.
Despite leaving electoral politics, Abbasi clarified that he has not abandoned politics altogether. He mentioned that a decision regarding the formation of a new political party would be made after the upcoming elections.
Addressing concerns about the National Accountability Board (NAB) and other anti-corruption institutes, Abbasi questioned who would hold them accountable, labeling them as the country’s most corrupt organization.
Highlighting the decline in Pakistan’s development graph, Abbasi stressed on an uncontroversial election process.
“Today people ask if the world is making progress then why is Pakistan declining in development graph? Since, 1947 every election has been stolen. The masses are disappointed in the election process. You still have time to make this process uncontroversial,” he said.
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi faced a brief hiccup on Friday when he was initially stopped from flying abroad due to his name being on the no-fly list, as per Shahzad Ali of Samaa.
However, after clarification, he was allowed to proceed with his travel plans to China.
Mr. Abbasi and his wife were at Islamabad Airport to catch a flight to China when immigration authorities informed him that he was on the stop list based on orders of the Sindh court.
Consequently, he was told he couldn’t continue his journey and had to return from the airport lounge.
Eventually, the issue was resolved, and he was permitted to travel.
When reached for comment, Mr. Abbasi denied any disruption and stated that he had already departed for China.
Despite attempts to contact the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) immigration authorities for clarification, no response was received.
Earlier last month, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s son Abdullah Khaqan Abbasi was prevented from leaving the nation at the Islamabad airport by immigration officials.
On a foreign carrier, flight EK-613, Abdullah Khaqan Abbasi was scheduled to travel for Dubai.
Due to the fact that Abdullah’s name was on the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) stop list, the FIA immigration officers stopped him.
Earlier, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s bail had been extended by the Sindh High Court in a case related to an unauthorized appointment at Pakistan State Oil (PSO).
The court also ordered that Abbasi’s name and those of the other defendants be added to the Exit Control List (ECL).
The case involved allegations against Abbasi, Arshad Mirza, Imranul Haque, and Yakoob Babar, with the former petroleum secretary also being present during the court hearing.
