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ISLAMABAD – Pakistan People’s Party yesterday rejected the government’s proposal to extend National Accountability Bureau chief’s tenure through an ordinance and the investigation cell to probe the Pandora Papers.
PPP Vice-President Sherry Rehman said the government was violating rules to extend the NAB chairman’s term. She also rejected the cell formed to investigate offshore firm owners. “We do not accept a government committee where they will investigate their own people. When it comes to the opposition, NAB is involved in the first instance and a media trial begins but when it comes to their own, the government has formed a committee. We do not support media trials but the rules should not be different for the opposition,” she said.
She added:“Where is the money trail now? Why are they not taking this issue to the court? No one should be above the law. This will certainly not be an independent neutral committee and will be biased so, how can we accept it? If JITs can be formed for the opposition then why is the same not being done in this case.” Speaking to journalists here, the PPP leader said the people were bewildered to see the dollar at Rs171 and there were reports which suggested that despite historical devaluation of the PKR, it might reach 180 against the dollar.
“This should be enough to wake the government from its deep slumber but we are yet to see any response from them. Finance minister, finance secretary and FBR chairman were all absent for this important meeting,” she maintained.
She said Pakistan’s Current Account Deficit had increased by a whopping 81 percent to $1.5 billion in August while the Foreign Direct Investment has declined by 20 percent in the last two months. Petrol prices have hit a historic high at Rs127 per litre, she added,
On top of all this, the senator said, “The government was “negotiating with IMF without consulting the Parliament. It is important that the finance ministry takes the finance committee in confidence before negotiating terms with IMF. The government also needs to address the issue of unemployment, inflation and poverty.
“They need to answer why we are still stuck in the FATF grey list despite bulldozing so many bills in the Parliament,” concluded Parliamentary leader of the PPP.” The lawmaker said there was a proper constitutional way to appoint a NAB chairman which should be followed.
Meanwhile PPP leader Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar has strongly condemned increase in electricity and oil prices.
“The massive hike in food prices have made lives of the people miserable. The recent increase in petroleum and electricity prices will lead to a new wave of inflation,” he said.
The common man has been unable to run kitchen of the house, pay school fees and afford continuously increasing utility bills, said Senator Khokhar.
“If PDM can be formed for supremacy of democracy, why there is no unity to save the people from tsunami of inflation,” questioned Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar.
He added:“The opposition can threaten a long march for civilian supremacy. Why it is silent and not calling a countrywide protest on this important public agenda.”
Khokhar said the government should either reduce the prices of food, electricity, gas and oil or go home.