–Khattak defends Peshawar BRT project, says its actual structural cost less than Punjab’s metro buses
ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Leader of the Opposition Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that he would “quit politics if Prime Minister Imran Khan could prove that a request for a National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) had been made”.
While addressing the National Assembly session after being granted production orders Shehbaz asked PM Imran to elaborate on the name of the person who had asked for an NRO, and when such an incident had occurred.
“We did not ask for an NRO. If the leader of the house can prove that a request was made for an NRO, I will quit politics for all time to come,” Shehbaz claimed.
“I [curse] the NRO,” Shehbaz said, adding that “we cannot be scared off like this”.
“I am a servant of Pakistan, I won’t take any U-turn,” Shehbaz said.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, in his address to the nation last week, had said that the opposition parties wanted an NRO from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. He had said that “no one would get an NRO even if they came out onto the streets in protest”.
The PML-N president also took aim at the government’s decision to increase gas and electricity prices.
Shehbaz further alleged that the government had come to power through a rigged election and had lost credibility in the eyes of the public in a very short time.
He further referred to PM Khan as an “absconder” and criticised him for not coming to the House.
“If the leader of the house [cannot prove the NRO request], then he should [come to the House] and apologise here,” he added.
Following that, Shehbaz pointed out that although PM Khan had claimed he would come to the NA to respond to statements like the British premier and did not stick to his word.
He said that there was an “unholy alliance” between the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and PTI.
Shehbaz further asked if the “NAB chairman had met PM Khan in the capacity of a suspect or as the Leader of the House,” and said that if it was the former then he should also meet him in jail.
The PML-N leader criticised NAB for issuing a fresh list of those who were facing investigations. Shehbaz also said that the case he is being implicated in is about a company that was formed in 2004 during the Musharraf era.
Defending former railways minister, Saad Rafique, the opposition leader said that Rafique had saved the sinking railways, yet he has been receiving notices from NAB daily.
He also implied that former foreign minister Khawaja Asif and the head of a state institution had played a role in the $6 billion financial assistance that the PTI government was able to secure from Saudi Arabia by riding on PML-N’s coattails.
“This country will not be run like this. We will not let PTI impose its wishes and inflict cruelty. We will stand in its way.”
Shehbaz added that he “wasn’t afraid of jails, as he and his family had faced such situations in the past as well”.
Shehbaz Sharif is currently in NAB’s custody in connection with Ashiana Housing Society case. The country’s top accountability watchdog had arrested the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president over his alleged involvement in the multi-billion rupee housing scheme scam.
KHATTAK DEFENDS PESHAWAR BRT COST:
Responding to the claims of the opposition leader, Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak rejected the impression that the cost of Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project is higher than those constructed in Punjab and Islamabad.
Khattak said that actual structural cost of BRT was less than metro bus projects, introduced in cities of Punjab and Islamabad because it has comparatively lengthier route than others.
Speaking in the National Assembly on a point of personal explanation, the minister said that metro buses in Punjab and Islamabad were being run on rent while 220 buses have been purchased for the BRT project, thus increasing the cost from Rs 7-8 billion.
He said that high-rise buildings and shopping malls are being set up along the route of BRT project and parking lots are being set up there which had also increased the cost.
The minister said that Rs 1 billion has been reserved for those wagon drivers as compensation who would be affected through this project. “No subsidy would be given to BRT project and it would earn profit for more than 10 years after becoming functional,” he stated.
Khattak categorically rejected the impression that the present government is against the mega-corridor project.
The defence minister said being the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the last government, he only demanded his province’s due share in the CPEC.
