ISLAMABAD: In the backdrop of Panamagate and a letter of a Qatari prince in support of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s stance in the Supreme Court, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) raised concerns on Thursday over the current visit of Qatari royal family’s delegation to Pakistan.

The concern was raised at a meeting of the PTI, presided over by party chairman Imran Khan at his residence in Banigala.

The meeting discussed different issues including the visit of the Qatari delegation and tabling of the 24th constitution amendment bill in the National Assembly by the government which the PTI believed was an attempt to protect Prime Minister Sharif and his family in the Panama scam case.

Giving details of the meeting, PTI Information Secre­tary Naeemul Haq said that the government had kept the objectives and reasons of the Qatari delegation’s visit to Pakistan secret at a time when a Qatari prince had sent a rescue letter that was presented before the Supreme Court by the prime minister’s legal team in the Panama leaks case.

“The meeting demanded that the government unveil reasons of the visit of the Qatari delegation,” the PTI leader said.

“If Qatari princes are here for hunting, then another question arises as to who gave them the licence to kill innocent birds,” he added.

Mr Haq questioned as to how long the prime minister and his family would continue to sell the national interest for personal gains and protection.

Referring to the 24th constitution amendment bill introduced by the government in the National Assembly last Friday seeking the right of appeal in suo motu cases taken up by the Supreme Court, the PTI leader called it a bid to protect Nawaz Sharif from a legal course of action.

He termed the proposed bill an attempt by the government to protect the prime minister and pledged that it would never support it in parliament.

“In democracy legislation is made for collective welfare and not for individuals,” Mr Haq added.

Earlier, a PTI delegation, led by Imran Khan, called on visiting UK Foreign Minister Boris Johnson and discussed several issues including Panamagate and violation of the Line of Control by Indian armed forces and the Kashmir issue.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2016