Javed Hashmi questions accountability for military, judges

MULTAN: Senior politician and former Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Makhdoom Javed Hashmi at an unexpected press conference on Wednesday (today) stated that this may be his political career’s last press conference.

In the press conference, Hashmi questioned only politicians had only been held accountable, but the same rules do not apply to the military.

Hashmi, a former PML-N member stated that he strongly believed that Nawaz Sharif should be brought to accountability. However, he questioned as to why only Nawaz Sharif was being held responsible.

Referring to former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, he said he had fled the country and was now acting as if he were a king.  “We can not even speak about him. Can anyone punish him?”

“The country moves when generals wish it, what is the worth of Nawaz Sharif when compared to them?” The political leader also questioned the status of army chiefs after retirement.

Stressing on the need for accountability of politicians, Hashmi asked if anyone could name the judge who had wealth in Panama.

“Can anyone take his name, can anyone hold him accountable, can anyone ask why he hid money in Panama?”

Hashmi further claimed that Panama Paper’s probe was a  plot to take down Nawaz Sharif’s government. He alleged that PTI Chairman Imran Khan had said that after former CJP Tasadduq Hussain Jilani’s tenure would end, the incoming CJP would “break the government and Parliament”.

“I told Imran this would be martial law, but he claimed that it wouldn’t be martial law because the Supreme Court judges would be doing it,” Hashmi alleged.

“Rigging was the issue earlier, but now it is Panamagate since Imran had to create some form of ruckus. He wanted to topple the government in three months. I told him you cannot do this,” Hashmi claimed, adding that “someone else” had saved Nawaz Sharif’s government from toppling.