Upping the ante in the face of the ongoing opposition campaign to bring down the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the government has announced that it will not issue production orders for the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif.
While speaking to a private news channel, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill said: “The opposition parties were doing reprehensible and dirty politics to protect their looted wealth and to halt the ongoing accountability process against their bigwigs.”
Gill said the production orders will not be issued for Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif, who is currently in the custody of National Accountability Bureau (NAB). It is a parliamentary rule vested with the office of the speaker which allows parliamentarians under arrest to be produced in the House after being summoned.
He said the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had lost its credibility as it had failed in gathering people for their second power show in Karachi.
The people were not supporting convicted looters and plunderers, who had gathered under the banner of PDM to protect their vested interests, he added.
The premier’s aide said the opposition leaders were using blackmail to secure a National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), but they could not get it.
Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Imran Khan, while addressing the Tiger Force Convention in Islamabad, had turned his guns on former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, calling him out on his past links to dictators and dismissing his stance as a desperate attempt to save a legacy which has become mired in corruption cases.
“The opposition has so far seen one Imran Khan,” the prime minister thundered, adding: “I used to say: give them production orders and invite them to assemblies and so on. The Imran Khan you will be seeing now is going to be a different Imran Khan.”
“No dacoit will get a production order [sic] Shahbaz Sharif will not get a production order till he submits a full response in court, nor will any of the other dacoits.”
![Security officials escort Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif (centre) as he leaves the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court after a money-laundering case hearing in Lahore yesterday. (AFP) Security officials escort Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif (centre) as he leaves the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court after a money-laundering case hearing in Lahore yesterday. (AFP)](https://www.gulf-times.com/uploads/imported_images/Upload/Slider/1020202112334117772827.jpg)
Security officials escort Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif (centre) as he leaves the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court after a money-laundering case hearing in Lahore yesterday. (AFP)