HYDERABAD: Sindh Minister for Com­merce and Industries Manzoor Hussain Wassan on Tuesday observed that political figures in the country might face a very serious situation in the coming days and many would resort to changing loyalties to escape prosecution or conviction.

“I see political turncoats going to jail this winter, maybe before the end of this year,” he said without naming anyone or identifying anyone’s affiliation.

Mr Wassan was speaking to the media after inaugurating a Rs124.19 million scheme pertaining to the construction of five roads and laying of water and sewerage lines in SITE area of Hyderabad.

The senior Pakistan Peoples Party leader, considering industrialists and businessmen present at the event, remarked in a lighter vein: “Import and export also take place in political parties”.

He recalled the era of General Ziaul Haq and said trading in political figures had ensued following the toppling of PPP founder chairman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s government. The military regime used to force political leaders to change their loyalties in order to prolong its rule over the country, he said, adding that he himself was among those who were implicated in false cases for defying its directions. “We faced cruel treatment in jails but remained steadfast and loyal to the PPP,” he said.

Mr Wassan observed that a similar trend was being witnessed these days ahead of the 2018 general elections.

In reply to a question, he said he wished the elections were held on time but such a hope was waning in view of the prevailing political situation in the country.

Hints at shocking results of next general elections

Speaking about the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the minister said: “The MQM Pakistan and London are no separate entities ... they are a single entity with different titles which will be commanded from Dubai in future,” he said.

Expressing his party’s position vis-a-vis the ongoing accountability process, Mr Wassan said: “We are not against accountability but we want it to be even-handed and impartial”. He observed that institutions like the judiciary were more powerful than government.

The judiciary, he noted, would surely be dispensing justice in the Baldia factory inferno case and no guilty party would be able to go scot free as it was a matter of 260 innocent people having been burnt alive.

Commenting on the overall political and economic scenario taking shape in the country, Mr Wassan said he saw a bright future. The masses would see peace, justice and massive development in the years to come, he added.

However, Mr Wassan also hinted that the results of the next general elections would be disappointing and shocking for some political heavyweights while new heavyweights would enter the power corridors. “Anyway, the results would be better for the country,” he said.

Accusing the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of having double standards, the minister believed that many people would be apprehended.

Commenting on Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan’s call for dissolution of assemblies to hold early elections, Mr Wassan remarked: “He is a fast bowler and always remains in a hurry ... sometimes he succeeds in hitting a sixer but sometimes he gets clean bowled due to his agility”. He said it was Mr Khan’s wishful thinking that the ongoing accountability process would remain restricted to others. “He (Mr Khan) and his friends could be the next to start criticising the NAB, accusing it of injustices,” he said.

In reply to a question, Mr Wassan said he believed that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar would not be returning home while his party chief Nawaz Sharif was appearing in courts to face corruption trials.

Regarding the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he expressed the view that the project would bring about progress and prosperity in Sindh.

Answering a question about government’s failure to fix support price of sugar cane, the commerce minister said the matter related to the international market and size of the sugar cane crop produced in the current season. He, however, expressed the hope that the official price would be fixed soon and would be advantageous to growers.

Senior officials of the commerce and industry department, members of the business community, prominent activists of the Hyderabad chapter of PPP attended the inauguration ceremony.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2017