PML-N, PPP discredited govts, paralysed institutions: Shibli

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz Friday blamed PML-N and PPP for corruption in politics, which destroyed democratic values, discredited governments and paralysed institutions.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Federal Minister for Science and Technology Ch. Fawad Hussain, the minister said the ‘credit’ for destroying democratic values and jeopardizing economic future went to the two major political parties — PPP and PML-N.

Referring to the Senate elections in 2018, he pointed out that on finding out wrongdoing of their 20 MPAs, the PTI was the only party to throw them out. “No other party before this and afterwards took such a step just to ensure transparency in elections,” he added.

He made it clear that PTI and its government stood for free and transparent elections, which did not suit the opposition parties, their ideology and priorities.

“A lawmaker, who comes to the legislature on the basis of his wealth will definitely prioritize making more money,” he said. The minister pointed out that corruption was introduced in politics during the 1985 party-less elections when persons like Nawaz Sharif started using money and resorted to rigging and vandalism in politics.

Shibli contended that elections were the essence of democracy and explained that a building could not be erected properly on a faulty foundation. “With transparency in the electoral processes, the image of institutions and parliamentarians could be restored,” he added.

On its part, he noted that PTI strived to materialise the prime minister’s narrative on transparent elections by introducing a bill in the National Assembly and sending a presidential reference to the Supreme Court for guidance for open balloting in the Senate polls, but the opposition tried to oppose and block every move.

The minister again insisted that on the one hand there was Imran Khan — the torch-bearer of hope and truth — on the other, there were the harbingers of darkness and the results of recent Senate elections had vindicated his stance.

Shibli made it clear that the PTI's struggle was to purge the system of corruption for the coming generations keeping political considerations aside. He noted that the prime minister’s decision to take a fresh vote of confidence had proved that values were more important to him than power and this was unprecedented.

Imran Khan’s fight, he pointed out, was against those, who had plundered the national resources and every upright and honest person stood by him in this struggle. He said Imran Khan as an individual started his struggle against the status quo, and now by the grace of Allah Almighty, PTI was the single largest party both in the National Assembly and the Senate.

Replying to a question, the minister said the PML-N had made a ridiculous claim that they had offered party tickets to the PTI members for voting for the PDM candidate Yusuf Raza Gilani. He asserted that the PML-N ticket had no value in comparison to that of the PTI and noted actually PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz had used the word 'ticket' as simile for 'currency notes'.

“It is also a matter of disappointment that Pakistan People’s Party leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari despite being an educated person is giving justifications for corruption,” he regretted. On the Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani’s nomination for the Senate chairmanship again, he said the PTI leadership took the decision after consultations with the allied parties.

The minister continued, “Sanjrani belongs to Balochistan and the government wants that province's representation in the federation, as the National Assembly speaker belongs to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the prime minister to Punjab, and the president to Sindh. And another reason for his nomination was his performance of the past three years as the Senate chairman for he was popular for running the House in a very efficient and effective way”.