Zardari known as symbol of corruption: Chohan

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Information & Culture Fayyazul Hassan Chohan has said Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Zardari terming Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government incompetent to run the country is really ironic.

“In the five years of the PPP government, they could neither deliver to masses nor arrest the assassins of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed,” he said in response to the comments made by Zardari in a press talk on Sunday.

Talking to the media outside the Punjab Assembly, Chohan termed Asif Zardari’s criticism of PTI is whimsical at best, considering that the entire nation knows him as the symbolism of corruption.

Fayyaz Chohan said Pervez Musharraf had handed over an economically stable Pakistan to Asif Zardari and the PPP. But they plundered the national wealth through illegal induction of hundreds and thousands of people at the expense of the national wealth to please their support base.

He bashed Zardari further saying the PPP co-chairman patronised land-grabbing, abductions for ransom through his blue-eyed Muzaffar Tappi and helped Dr Asim embezzle hundreds of billions while healing enemies of the state at his hospital. Therefore, the PTI did not need any lectures from an individual with such tainted past.

He said that senior provincial minister Abdul Aleem Khan is a longstanding lieutenant of Prime Minister Imran Khan in struggle of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) against corruption and he has always followed the party discipline.

It is beyond imagination to think about ignoring any party leader or worker. Also, Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar and Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan enjoy cordial relationship. Any difference between the two leaders is out of question and the news attributed to the prime minister about asking Abdul Aleem Khan to vacate his office at 90-Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam was concocted, baseless and beyond facts.

Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan and all Punjab Assembly members are answerable to CM Sardar Usman Buzdar and gossips about running a parallel chief minister’s secretariat are just exaggerations.

The information minister added that news item regarding contact of PTI General Secretary Arshad Dad with the senior minister for meeting and his refusal are baseless. There is no lack of understanding and coordination between the government institutions and the leaders. In fact, the rumour-mongers are spreading such baseless speculations. Senior Minister Abdul Aleem is working to fulfil the reforms agenda and vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, concluded the minister.

  Meanwhile, PPP Punjab Vice President Chaudhry Aslam Gill demanded the PTI senior leadership to tame Provincial Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan and stop him from using objectionable language against Asif Ali Zardari.

In a statement issued on Monday, he slammed Fayyazul Hassan, saying he must avoid speaking above his stature. Aslam Gill said Fayyazul Hassan lacked stature to pass comments on Asif Zardari, who had been the elected president of the entire Pakistani federation.

The PPP leader said the PTI, having been rejected by the people in the by-elections over its poor governance, was now busy in mud-slinging and using objectionable language against political leadership. He said since the day Asif Zardari had become active, the members of ‘Kangal Khan’ party were busy in targeting him.  

APP adds:: Fayyazul Hassan Chohan condemned the opposition lawmakers’ hooliganism during provincial assembly’s session on Friday, saying the PML-N had repeatedly shown its true colours under the leadership of Hamza Shahbaz.

Speaking in the Punjab Assembly and later talking to media-persons outside the Punjab Assembly, the minister said opposition members’ ruckus had exposed the PML-N’s real face before the masses which he said was absolutely undemocratic.

"People of Punjab have now realised that the opposition, mainly the PML-N, had nothing to do with the democracy, democratic institutions, and the parliamentary norms and today’s conduct of PML-N’s members destroyed the sacredness of the House," he added.

He pointed out that the opposition legislators tried to attack the Punjab Assembly secretary, gathered around speaker, hurt deputy secretary, additional deputy secretary, and damaged the state property, which was highly shameful.

Terming hue and cry by Hamza Shahbaz over ongoing accountability process "Understandable", the minister said they had come to know that they would not be spared this time. The investigation agencies, Chohan said, were working independently, and exposing the faces of corrupt elements across the board.