High-profile cases: Govt, opposition one on live coverage

ISLAMABAD: In response to the allegations put forward by Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Monday appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan to let the media carry out live broadcasts of high-profile cases, while the PMLN leader Ahsan Iqbal also supported his demand.

Fawad, in a press conference alongside Energy Minister Hammad Azhar and Advisor to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar, slammed the opposition, while specifically calling out PMLN President Shahbaz Sharif.

According to Geo News, Fawad Chaudhry said that the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, seeing PTI’s victory, fled halfway during the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections. He added that the PMLN has already started hurling rigging allegations in relation to the July 25 polls. “Election campaign is underway in Kashmir and PTI is in a stable position. No other political party was able to field candidates for all the seats,” said Fawad. “The PMLN has already started the rigging allegations. Maryam Nawaz has shown no policy in her election campaign, and very soon, she will also flee from the AJK campaign,” said the information minister.

Fawad went on to say that the government expected Shehbaz Sharif to speak about the FIA summoning case, adding that whenever the opposition leader was asked about the money found in his account, he would say that he built metros. “One thing that is common between the PPP and PMLN is that the money they were given was found in London, Dubai and France,” said Fawad. He added that the opposition leader should give a response to allegations put against him in the media and the FIA. On the other hand, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar slammed the PMLN leader for his comments on the power crisis.

Hammad Azhar explained that load shedding in the country was taking place not due to a lack of power generation, but because of weakness in the transmission system. He also claimed that in the last few days the country successfully generated 24,000 megawatts electricity.

“If you made cheap agreements then why did the circular debt increase to Rs1.2 trillion,” asked Hammad Azhar. He also shared that he had spoken with the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) representative, saying that he had informed him that no unannounced load shedding was happening anywhere in the country. “Shahbaz Sharif’s health has been in bad condition ever since he was stopped from going to London,” he said.

Shahzad Akbar claimed that the opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif’s latest joke is that he was harassed by the FIA. He added that the FIA had given him the notice to appear on June 15 and he appeared on June 22. “Confusion is being spread by talking about Shahbaz Sharif’s FIA case,” said Shahzad Akbar. He added that all FIA interviews are recorded. The advisor claimed that Shahbaz was trying to influence the institution by issuing such statements. He added that during interrogation, the FIA had asked Shahbaz about his accounts.

“In response, Shehbaz Sharif told the official that the situation is not always the same. Such people try to intimidate and frighten people,” said the adviser. “Trial is going on, answer questions, don’t try to flee London. We will not let you go from here,” said Shahzad Akbar.

Meanwhile, the PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said while talking to Geo News that he supports the idea of open trial of opposition leaders’ cases. Ahsan Iqbal said the government ministers conduct media trials of the opposition through press conferences. He asked how Shahzad Akbar gets details of FIA conversation with Shehbaz Sharif. Ahsan Iqbal said any rigging in the AJK polls would affect the Kashmir cause. He said the PTI minister was openly distributing money in the AJK election campaign.