PTI has dismantled web of corrupt alliances: Fawad

–Says landmark decisions expected in references against Nawaz

–New local government system to be introduced in Punjab, KP in next fiscal year

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government had dismantled the web of corrupt alliances and done away with the old political system in the country.

Addressing a press conference, he said that the opposition parties were united to avoid accountability for their corruption. “The ‘thugs of Pakistan’ will be the right title for their alliance,” which was destined to fail just like that of the Bollywood film ‘Thugs of Hindustan’,” he added.

The minister said that it was necessary to get rid of the old political system in order to put the country on the path to progress and the PTI had succeeded in that regard.

He said that PTI, which was the party of middle-class people, was in power today and it would bring about change in the existing political culture. Traditional politicians had caused immense loss to the country through their corruption and high-handedness, he added.

Citing the government’s achievements on the economic front, he said that a vivid change was happening every day. He also said that a country like France had changed its travel advisory while others were ready to do so due to the improved political situation in Pakistan. The government was willing to ease visa restrictions in order to attract tourists and more investment in the country, he added.

Countries like the United States, China, Saudi Arabia and the European Union (EU) are willing to invest in Pakistan, he added.

The minister said that landmark decisions were expected in the Al Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investment corruption references against Nawaz Sharif on Monday. The verdicts were quite obvious as the owners had failed to defend their properties, he said in response to a question.

To a question, Fawad lamented the self-centred politics of the leadership of both the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). “Nawaz Sharif wanted the people to take to roads in order to save his properties in Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom (UK) while Asif Ali Zardari was urging the masses to start a movement for rescuing the `innocent’ Anwar Majeed,” he claimed.

He said that Nawaz Sharif and his sons had properties worth billions of rupees in Dubai and the UK, and they had nothing to prove their source of income, while Shehbaz Sharif, Asif Zardari and Saad Rafique were also claiming themselves to be innocent.

“If they had not committed any corruption then who is responsible for the country’s sorry state of affairs,” he questioned.

He said that it was quite interesting that the common people did not know how the money had come into their bank accounts. The talented parents had filled the bank accounts of their children, he added.

About Khawaja Saad Rafique, he said that the PML-N leader was speaking at the floor of National Assembly (NA) just two days after he was remanded in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

To a question, the minister said that all villains had got together and nobody was the hero among them.

About the nomination of Hamza Shehbaz as leader of the opposition in the Punjab Assembly (PA), Fawad said that it was unfortunate that a younger brother [Shehbaz Sharif] would investigate the corruption committed by the elder [Nawaz Sharif], while a son [Hamza Shehbaz] was to look into the misdoings of his father [Shehbaz Sharif] in the Punjab Assembly. “If Shehbaz Sharif was appointed the leader of the opposition in the NA then the PA was supposed to follow suit,” he added.

The minister said that the government was all set to introduce a new local government system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab during the next fiscal year. He said that it was important to bring changes in the old system and the parliament must play its role to address the challenges being faced by the country rather than discussing and defending the people.

Regarding legislation, the minister said that the problem was not of making laws but of their implementation. To a question, he said that the Model Town case should come to its logical conclusion. “It is unfortunate that the main accused is sitting in the NA while the relatives of those, who were killed in the incident, were on roads to seek justice,” he added.

Fawad said that NAB was doing its job well but there was still room for improvement in its working.