Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday said the leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) respected the recent verdict of Supreme Court from the core of its heart, but a national commission consisting of “God-fearing” and “honest” people must be constituted for investigation for the PML-N to fully cooperate with the investigators.
Addressing a public meeting at Haider Stadium, Shahbaz said the proposed commission should review all matters relating to the rigging and plundering committed during all previous elections.
He said President Asif Ali Zardari distributed Rs 500 million through the IB after removing the PML-N government and forming his own government in 2009.
The CM said former dictator Pervez Musharraf also provided billions of rupees to the candidates of king’s party for winning the election in 2008, while a “theft” of Rs 80 billion was committed in Bank of Punjab during the last regime.
He said the scope of the national commission should be vast and it should have powers to scrutinise all. Shahbaz said, “We do not accept an investigation through the FIA as its head is the minister who submitted a wrong affidavit regarding dual nationality.” He said the PML-N had always upheld all decisions of the Supreme Court with sincerity and the investigation regarding recent allegations should also be held in a transparent manner. Shahbaz added that the federal government had insulted and violated the decisions of the Supreme Court.
He said a country where plundering and looting was rampant and where there was no rule of law could not progress. Shahbaz said no one could level a single allegation of corruption against the PML-N government in Punjab, while “Ali Baba and forty thieves” set records of corruption at government level. He hoped that the people of Pakistan would give a humiliating defeat to the corrupt elements in the general election. The Punjab CM said Younas Habib himself admitted during an interview that he had written off loans of several PPP members.
He said the looters of national exchequer would have to give an account of every penny and the exemplary punishment should be awarded to the thieves and dacoits. Shahbaz said four times more funds had been provided to Southern Punjab for development projects during the last four-and-a-half years and the people propagating the deprivation of Southern Punjab should look into their own conscience. The chief minister also announced setting up a medical college at Bahawalnagar and issued directives for immediately starting work in this regard. He said 10,000 tractors were being distributed among farmers this year and a subsidy of Rs 2 billion had been provided for the purpose. Shahbaz gave approval to a number of mega projects for district Bahawalnagar, including the construction of Arifwala-Bahawalnagar dual road which would be constructed at a cost of Rs 648 million.
The CM also distributed keys of green tractors among successful people in balloting, while laser levellers were also distributed. Shahbaz awarded proprietary rights and distributed allotment letters of five marla plots under Jinnah Abadi Scheme.
