84 MNAs are guarantors of Nawaz Sharif: Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: The PML-N and PPP on the floor of the National Assembly on Thursday asked the PTI government to stop playing with the health of three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif and allow him to leave for abroad for treatment without seeking indemnity bond of over Rs7 billion.

Read also: Guess who said this: ‘Let Nawaz die’

“I myself, my party’s 84 parliamentarians sitting in this House and millions of workers who have been withNawaz Sharif for decades can give guarantee that he will return to the country after his medical treatment,” Khawaja Muhammad Asif, the PML-N parliamentary leader, said while speaking on a point of order.

Advising the government to refrain from using its power and authority for the sake of political interests, the PML-N leader said the rulers had conditioned surety bond with permission to Nawaz Sharif to leave the country to humiliate him. “The government will use this piece of paper for political interests that it had taken guarantee from him,” he said.

He said not only the PML-N members, but the speaker who is custodian of the House should also give guarantee that Nawaz Sharif would return to the country after his treatment. Khawaja Asif said Nawaz Sharif did not compromise on Constitution and his narrative of ‘Vote Ko Izzat Do’ when he is in fight for death and life.

“Nawaz Sharif did not want to go abroad but the doctors said they are capable of his treatment but there is no technology and facility under one roof where treatment of multiple diseases is possible,” he said.

Khawaja Asif said he had respect for Law Minister Farogh Naseem, but he should give same arguments in case of Nawaz Sharif which he gave in case of Pervez Musharraf. “I will request him to behave as per principles and do not change his opinion according to prevailing environment and weather,” he said.

Asking the government not to make Nawaz Sharif as trump card, the PML-N leader said not only the party’s parliamentarians are guarantors of his return to the country but the workers would also bring him back.

Regretting attitude of the prime minister, the PML-N leader said during a meeting, Imran Khan asked the ministers to check whether laboratory reports and samples of Nawaz Sharif are correct or fake. “You are using such language for a person who as prime minister accepted your party’s mandate in KP province after 2013 elections despite the fact your then government could have been toppled easily,” he said, adding that Nawaz Sharif also respected mandate of the PPP in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

He went on to say that indemnity bonds being sought from Nawaz Sharif have no worth but the same would further blot the country’s politics and it would not remain exemplary for young generations to follow.

Khawaja Asif recalled that Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz returned to the country in the past leaving behind ailing Kulsoom Nawaz in London. “I know Nawaz Sharif very well and I can give guarantee that Nawaz Sharif will come back to the country,” he said.

He asked Speaker Asad Qaisar to assert himself and issue production orders of all the detained members of the House without any discrimination. The PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf asked the government to allow Nawaz Sharif to go abroad for treatment. He criticised the government for not allowing to shift ex-president Asif Zardari to hospital for his treatment.

“Asif Zardari is not convinced to apply for bail but he is required to be shifted to hospital because of multiple issues with his health,” he said, questioning as to how an ailing person could be investigated.

He pointed out that Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav who is worst enemy of Pakistan could also not be denied medical treatment on humanitarian grounds, but the government is meting out brutal treatment with ex-rulers and key politicians of the country. He also complained that laboratory reports of Asif Zardari were also not been shared with his family members.

Meanwhile, Minister for Communications Murad Saeed on Thursday said that the federal cabinet took collective decision to allow Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to leave for abroad for medical treatment on submission of an indemnity bond.“It is collective decision of the federal cabinet that former prime minister submit indemnity bond and leave for abroad, and I also own the same decision,” Murad Saeed said while responding points raised by the PML-N leader Khawaja Asif.

He alleged that it was leadership of the PML-N which was doing politics on the health of Nawaz Sharif and on the other hand he said the Prime Minister has stopped the cabinet members from issuing any negative statement on the health of Nawaz Sharif.

He advised the PML-N leadership that they should not compromise on health of the former prime minister, and they should focus on his health instead of saving money and his property. The minister pointed out that former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who is facing charges of money laundering, son in law of Shahbaz Sharif, two sons of Nawaz Sharif other members of Sharif family are absconding in different cases.

Murad Saeed said it is commitment and faith of the PTI government to build a welfare state where rich and poor lot is equal before the law. “This is because the Prime Minister said.

He said Pakistan is changing under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said the economy is achieving stability and record positive sentiments are being witnessed in the stock market. Exports have risen whilst imports have been cut.

The minister said it is because of Imran Khan’s efforts that 4,687 prisoners were released from foreign prisons over the last one year. He said the government also saved 1.2 billion dollars in Karkey rental power case whilst the nation will also soon hear good news regarding the Reko Diq case.

He said the PML-N says that their narrative is to ‘Vote Ko Izzat Do’ whereas PTI’s narrative is ‘Voter ko Izzat Do’ “We want to give respect to voter who is suffering from poverty, unemployment and other problems,” he said.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly was informed that a deep sea fishing policy has been prepared in consultations with the stakeholders to uplift the fishing sector. Parliamentary Secretary for Maritime Affairs Jamil Ahmad Khan told the House during question hour that the policy will soon be furnished before the cabinet for approval. He said efforts are afoot to transform the fisheries sector as per the modern standards.

The parliamentary secretary said the country’s fisheries exports currently stand at four hundred million dollars. He said our target is to exploit its true potential and increase its exports to three billion dollars.

Jamil Ahmad Khan told the House that Pakistani fish is being smuggling in hundreds of tons to the neighboring countries. He regretted that previous government did not pay attention to this matter. However, the present government is developing a mechanism to check the smuggling.

Parliamentary Secretary for Railways Farrukh Habib said investigation has been ordered into the tragic Tezgam express incident in Rahim Yar Khan. He said details of the investigation will also be shared with the house.

The parliamentary secretary said that ML-1 will be upgraded under China Pakistan Economic Corridor project after which the speed of passenger trains on the main line will increase to 160 kilometre per hour.

Farrukh Habib said Pakistan Railways has started 22 new passenger trains over the last one year. He said the revenue of Pakistan Railways has increased and deficit has also been curtailed.