Shahbaz’s bail disappoints nation: Fawad

ISLAMABAD: The Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, said the government as well as the nation are disappointed with the bail of the Leader of Opposition Shahbaz Sharif, hoping the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) would challenge it.

Sharing details of the federal cabinet meeting on Thursday, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, and replying to questions from the media persons, the minister said the bail of Shahbaz would have a negative impact on the society. Fawad said Shahbaz’s bail did not come as a surprise, as he was never in confinement and was seen on the Islamabad roads in speeding Mercedes and BMWs, enjoying protocols. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan is talking about two systems, one for the rich and the other for the poor and the rich would always get relief. For the rich, he noted, it was like ‘catch me if you can’ situation. He said a poor man who had stolen chickens is perhaps yet to get bail, whereas the one who stole Rs1,500 billion was granted one. The minister contended that there is fault in the system as the rich would go scot free by hiring costly counsels while the poor thieves had to endure prolonged incarcerations on petty crimes. However, Fawad insisted the PTI government was fully committed to changing the system of loot and plunder altogether. The minister said Shahbaz would soon be held accountable and land in the dock.

“Bail to Shahbaz Sharif will have a negative effect on the Pakistani society. The NAB should challenge decision and the government is ready to extend support to NAB,” he said. The minister maintained that NAB should tell the masses why cases against the rich could not be taken to their logical conclusion. He also referred to tours of former President Asif Ali Zardari across Sindh despite a JIT report on him. He pointed out when Islamabad High Court gave bail to Shahbaz, the Supreme Court had, in its judgement issued a charge-sheet against the bail.

About the upcoming visit of Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, he said it would prove to be a game changer, besides opening vistas of opportunities for the country. Fawad said a large number of Saudi investors are accompanying the Crown Prince. Around eight Memorandum of Understandings would be inked during the visit and Saudi Arabia is set to invest $8 billion in Gwadar”. The minister said the Board of Investment has been assigned to organise workshops for briefing the Saudi investors on the investment opportunities in Pakistan, he said. Fawad said easing of visas facilities for Saudi investors would prove helpful in attracting tourists from Saudi Arabia and boosting industry in the country. Fawad clarified that visit of the Saudi Crown Prince would not burden the exchequer. The expenditures of the visit of the crown prince, and his entourage are being borne by the visiting Saudis, he said. Owing to government policies foreign investment is pouring in from across the globe. To a question, the minister said the government had already ordered external audit of the Sui gas companies. Preliminary reports are not encouraging, as there are massive ‘irregularities’, he said. Fawad said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI) has no political challenge and its fight against the system would continue. The PTI broke the two-party system and was going ahead to change the system, he said.

Fawad noted as many as 26 meetings of federal cabinet were held in the last six months as compared to only five held in the corresponding period during the tenure of the PML-N. The cabinet took 440 decisions out of which 243 decisions had been implemented. The federal cabinet, he said, decided to provide gas and power to country’s industrial zones.

INP adds from Karachi: The PPP senior leader Khursheed Shah welcomed the LHC ’s decision of granting bail to Shahbaz Sharif. Speaking to a private TV channel, Shah said now politics will take place in an independent environment and with independent thinking, he added. The opposition will work together to draft a plan of action for the issues faced by the country, the PPP leader said.

Meanwhile, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said LHC’s decision to grant Shahbaz bail was based on merit and it is a victory of the truth. It is a sad day for those who were calling him a thief, she said. Our position in the Parliament is strong which is why the government is chanting and labeling us thieves, she added. Whenever Shahbaz raised a question against the government's performance it did not sit well with them. Stating that NAB could not make a case of any kind against Shehbaz the PML-N leader further said Shehbaz had said if corruption was proven against him he would leave politics. Aurangzeb added Nawaz Sharif will also be proven right soon and will be among the public soon.