Fawad suggests PML-N, PPP to replace names with ‘Sharifia’ and ‘Zardaria’

Islamabad: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday suggested both the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to replace their names with ‘Sharifia’ and ‘Zardaria’.

“The rule of both the Sharif and Zardari families had comes to an end and it seemed that future of PPP and PML-N rested with the young leaders instead of heirs of those parties,” the minister said while addressing a news conference after the meeting of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central Executive Committee.

Fawad Chaudhry mentioned that the rise of corruption and dynastic politics had been ended after Prime Minister Imran Khan came into the power. Pakistan was on right direction under the leadership of PM Imran Khan, he said, adding it was first time in the history that a clean government had come into power.

“Nobody ever thought of a scandal-free government in Pakistan,” he remarked. About audio leaks of Maryam Nawaz, Fawad said those were real as she herself had admitted that it was her voice. Maryam should have resigned from her party position and tender apology to the people of Pakistan and media as well, he added.

The minister asked the PML-N to tender an apology in written as Pervaiz Rashid was its senior leader. To a query, the minister said the government was ready to negotiate with the opposition on major reforms including electoral and economic ones.

He ruled out of any negotiation on the ongoing accountability drive by the government.

Divulging details of the executive committee meeting, he said the PTI had announced its advisory councils for different regions, including Punjab, Sindh and others.

“Except Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the PTI has announced its executive and advisory boards in the provinces,” he said. The councils had been constituted separately in Central and South Punjab, besides Sindh.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi appointed as PTI vice chairman

He said that Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib had been appointed as the PTI’s Information Secretary, and Siraj Khan as Finance Secretary.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Secretary General Asad Umar for coordinating with provincial presidents with regard to the party’s new organizational set-up.

The prime minister, he said, also directed the party to make preparations for the local government elections.

“We are reaching out to the PML-N and the PPP to build consensus for bringing amendment in the (election) code of conduct,” he said, adding the ministers, prime minister and assembly members should be allowed to participate in the election campaign.

It was ‘ridiculous’ to issue notices to political people on running election campaigns in their constituencies, he remarked.

Fawad said efforts were afoot to engage other political parties so that a request should be made to the Election Commission of Pakistan for reviewing the code of conduct.

Fawad said as the LG bodies in Punjab had already completed their tenure, the prime minister had also issued directives for the party workers to start preparations for the upcoming LG elections.

The government would ensure transparent local body polls in Punjab like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he added.

The minister said a comprehensive plan was underway to control inflation in the country. The National Assembly session had been summoned on January 10 and it was expected that the amended finance bill and a law pertaining to the State Bank of Pakistan would sail through it.

Agreement with IMF to usher in economic stability

He said the approval of bills and singing of an agreement with the International Monitory fund (IMF) would usher in economic stability and strengthening the rupee against dollar.

The minister said all the economic indicators, including growth rate, were on an upward trajectory in the country, despite the worldwide impact of coronavirus pandemic.