Nawaz fled abroad by feighning illness: Shibli

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz Friday said the opposition would be responsible if Pakistan slipped into the black list, as it was bound to support the FATF-related legislation as a national obligation.

Speaking at a news conference here, the minister said the opposition was trying to blackmail the government on the issue to cover up its corruption.

He asserted that the opposition would not be doing any favour to the government but discharging its duty towards Pakistan.

He pointed out that still there were four-five FATF-related legislative pieces to be adopted by the legislatures for which the opposition support was imperative.

He explained that things would get tougher for the public in case Pakistan was placed on the black list, having very serious economic repercussions as well.

The minister emphasised that the government would use all available legal options for bringing Nawaz Sharif back from London to face cases in courts.

In this connection, he said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) would be asked to write to the British government through the Foreign Office for his extradition.

Shibli said Nawaz Sharif had gone to England on six-month bail on medical grounds given on human considerations.

He said the medical documents presented in

the court before bail were fudged and an impression was given that he was seriously ill but when he reached London, he did not even bother to have an X-ray what to speak of any medical treatment. The minister pointed out that when the appeal was filed for extension of his bail, the Punjab government asked them to provide a medical report but they failed to produce any medical report to justify extension in bail. He said now time had come that Nawaz Sharif, who made fun of the judicial system by misleading courts, should return home and face the pending cases. “If Nawaz Sharif is innocent, then why he is running away from the law and courts,” he remarked.

Shibli said instead of getting medical treatment, Nawaz resumed political activities from London and having telephonic contacts with Fazlur Rehman and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

He said the courts would decide the pending cases against Nawaz Sharif but it was government’s responsibility to facilitate them in presenting the accused in the court.

On the issue of FATF legislation, Shibli said the opposition was trying to blackmail the government and get concessions in cases of corruption in return for voting in favour of required legislation but the PTI government will never be blackmailed.

He said the opposition was giving more importance to personal interests than national interests.

He said the opposition wanted to change the interpretation of corruption and abolish the National Accountability Bureau for personal benefits.