No soldier sides with thieves, says Fawad Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Monday said no soldier could ever side with thieves and alleged the opposition wanted to create division between the government and the army, while the armed forces were standing with the government.

Talking to the media outside the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Fawad emphasised it was also the demand of the Constitution and the responsibility of the armed forces to stand behind the government. He wondered how thieves and soldiers could move side by side? “The opposition leaders are thieves and what have soldiers to do with them? No soldier sides with thieves; it can be their desire,” he added. He alleged the opposition leaders had built an empire of robbers and thieves while right and the truth would win the battle.

Fawad said the opposition had conspired more against the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting than Israel and India. “Our politicians talked about calling off the OIC conference while the date of the conference of Islamic foreign ministers had been fixed a year ago and its final date was also fixed eight months ago. Heavens will not fall if the National Assembly is being summoned three days later on March 25 instead of March 22,” he added. He said that a campaign had been launched against the Pakistan army and alleged the PMLN media cell was involved in it. “The army stands with the government and this is a constitutional requirement. The PMLN media cell is making fake DPs and changing names to continue its campaign against the army. We are not the PMLN, which resorted to rebellion and conspired against the army. Prime Minister Imran Khan and the army’s combination reflects Pakistan’s stability and betterment and the combination will continue,” he maintained.

About estranged PTI MNAs, Fawad said, “We have given a 7-day notice to our people to come back; if they refuse they will be disqualified for life”. He pointed out the Article 163A was an important part of the Constitution of Pakistan. “We have approached the Supreme Court for its interpretation and the way people have sold their conscience is before everyone.” The minister explained that they had asked the Supreme Court whether defections and the sale of conscience were allowed in Pakistan. “It is not the first time that Imran Khan and his government are facing a challenge; we knew our government will face challenges and Imran Khan has always succeeded in big challenges. The opposition, particularly Maulana Fazlur Rehman and the likes received votes in the name of Islam but never did anything for Islam whereas Imran Khan raised his voice against Islamophobia and wants Pakistan to become an Islamic welfare state. Those who have stood against us have done nothing but sold religion,” he alleged.

To a question about estranged PTI leader Jahangir Tareen, the minister said, “We have not taken away a single MNA of the opposition. We did not create a forward bloc either. They have only the Sindh government and resorted to horse-trading and what happened in the Sindh House is in front of everyone. We have money of three provinces and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Can there be a competition if we start spending it?”

Adviser to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan explained the requirements of the law and said the National Assembly session convened by the Speaker on March 25 was being termed to be in violation of the Constitution. “Under the Article-254(3), if a date is fixed for an action and if that action is not taken within the period then it is not illegal. If there was any motion, they would have to take leave first and then it would be a resolution and the resolution would be debated for at least three days and at most 8 days. Many people think that one cannot be disqualified unless one casts one's vote. Under the Article 63A of the Constitution, a person who disobeys the party chief would be disqualified,” he explained. He also noted that the resolution to provide the Assembly Hall for the OIC meeting was passed by the consensus of the parties which were now saying that they would not allow the meeting to take place. He said that according to the Constitution when Imran Khan would disqualify a member of his party, they would be considered disqualified.

Federal Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar said the law on floor crossing had been passed by the parties which were against it today. “At present, honest people are standing on one side and those who looted public wealth are standing on the other side. Victory in the no-confidence motion would be for a new Pakistan, clean politics and the supremacy of the Constitution,” he claimed.

APP adds: Minister for Science and Technology Senator Shibli Faraz said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was trying to protect the political system from horse-trading. “The opposition parties are promoting horse-trading to pollute the democratic and political system of the country,” he told a television channel. Criticizing the ideology of Bilawal Bhutto, he said the PPP chairman was standing behind the PMLN, and JUIF for personal gains.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib said the “corrupt trio” of Shehbaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari and Fazlur Rehman had faced a day of failures. In his tweets, he said those who were bent upon the politics of “'now or never” would face humiliation. Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communications Dr Shahbaz Gill urged the media to focus on horse-trading instead of petty issues. “Anyone who won a seat in the general elections on a PTI ticket should first resign and then contest a new election,” he added. He said the word “neutral” had become the talk of the town. “Not even a single person can put the country’s sovereignty and peace at stake and hand it over to thieves. How can we be neutral when we see huge money in the account of a peon of Shehbaz Sharif,” he added. He said that institutions were being abused by using the PTI’s name on social media. “It is the PMLN that has been abusing the institutions and the PTI is not like them as our institutions are our pride. We have made a brief report and will be handing it over to the FIA to investigate and take action against the accused,” he added.