KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Sunday said that putting each other behind bars will not help the country’s economy.
Khaqan while holding a press conference in Karachi said that the economic situation of Pakistan cannot be improved by putting each other behind the bars. He suggested setting up a commission to identify the elements responsible for the economic crisis.
The former prime minister expressed regret that the political system no longer has the ability to solve the country’s problems. He said that till Pakistan Muslim League (N) came to power, he had no idea of the crisis that Pakistan’s economy was suffering from. He further said that it is the responsibility of all of us to find solutions to the country’s problems as we belong to different political parties.
The former prime minister said that there is establishment interference in politics which created instability in the democratic system.
Furthermore, the PML-N leader reiterated that everything is fine between him and the party and the country’s interest is his priority.
Criticizing the country’s anti-graft watchdog, Abbasi said that governments do not run because of the presence of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He asked how many politicians were held accountable by NAB?
Abbasi said that the institutions are not working within their constitutional limits.
Speaking about Friday’s attack on the Karachi Police Office, the former prime minister said the country has faced such unfortunate incidents and challenges before.
He said that now these challenges have to be faced.
Abbasi said that Muslim League (N) is facing cases and they do not want to finish the cases against them. He said that ‘I challenge NAB to conduct hearings on a daily basis and either acquit or convict us’.
The politician said that the accountability agency asked him all kinds of questions but not whether he pays taxes or not. “If one wants to be accountable, the tax system itself cleans up the situation,” Abbasi added.
Meanwhile, former senator and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) member Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, who was with Khaqan, said that “terrorism is on the rise, which is the failure of political parties.” He said that an all-party conference cannot be held on the shocking suicide attack on the mosque of Police Lines in Peshawar.
He asked whether there is any institution in the country that can fulfill its constitutional responsibility. He added that now is the time for them to discuss the issues together.
