Shahbaz rejects charges: Party to decide on reference against Rehman Malik
LAHORE, May 8: Terming the allegations of corruption levelled by Senator Rehman Malik baseless and fabricated, PML-N leader Shahbaz Sharif says only the party will decide on sending a disqualification reference against Malik.
Speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday, he claimed that in contrast to Malik’s allegations his hands were clean and challenged that he would resign if anyone proved corruption of even a single penny against him.
People know well as to which political party served them well and which looted the national exchequer, he added.
He told a questioner that a disqualification reference against the PPP senator under Article 62 and 63 would be sent to the Election Commission only after consulting the party leadership.
He alleged that President Asif Zardari is funding a smear campaign against PML-N on the media.
PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar said Malik should honour the apology the latter had tendered before him in the presence of late Benazir Bhutto. He alleged that the former interior minister was repeating the allegations that had been rejected by the courts back in 1996.
He denied that he had any relative named Ghani in Saudi Arabia or any employee Saeed through whom the Sharifs allegedly transferred a huge amount of foreign currency out of the country.
Meanwhile, ex-Squash champion Qamar Zaman has resigned from PTI and joined PML-N. Qamar met Shahbaz here and committed himself to work for PMLN in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Dera Ghazi Khan: Earlier addressing an election rally at hockey ground of Company Bagh on Thursday, Shahbaz urged people to vote for PML-N keeping in view the development undertaken during its recent stint in Punjab.
Party candidates -- Amjad Farooq Khosa (NA-171), Dr. Hafiz Abdul Kareem Imam Bukhsh Qaisrani (PP-240), Usman Buzdar (PP-241), Mohsin Atta Khosa (PP-242), Senator Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa (PP-243), Hassam Khosa (PP-244), Zeeshan Leghari (PP-245), Ishfaq Leghari (PP-246) were present on the stage.
Shahbaz said the PML-N established 22 model villages in flood-affected areas of the south Punjab.
Criticising former PML-N MPA Mir Badshah Qaisrani who is contesting for NA-171 and PP-240 on JUI ticket, he said Qaisrani defected from the party despite obtaining development funds worth billion of rupees.
Outside the venue of the meeting, Seraiki nationalists staged a demonstration in favour of establishment of Seraiki province.
TOBA TEK SINGH: Former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif has accused President Asif Ali Zardari of victimising Punjab by denying the province 700 megawatt electricity.
Addressing a public meeting at the Government High School No 1 at Kamalia on Wednesday, he said on the direction of Asif Ali Zardari the 700MW Chichon ki Malian power project had been delayed, causing a Rs7 billion loss to the national exchequer. He also prayed for early recovery of PTI chief Imran Khan.
Shahbaz said: “Imran Khan had once said that there was no fault on the part of Zardari regarding loadshedding which showed that ‘bat’ is also B team of Zardari like bicycle.”
He said the PML-N would bag all the three NA and seven PP seats of Toba Tek Singh district.
PML-N candidate for NA-94 Chaudhry Asadur Rehman, PP-88 candidate Begum Nazia Raheel Gujjar, former federal information minister Khalid Ahmad Kharal, Aftab Fatyana (elder brother of Riaz Fatyana) and others also addressed.