ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb talking to the media outside the accountability court on Thursday said the former prime minister was presenting himself before the law and the constitution and like him all the state institutions must also operate within the ambit of law and constitution.
She said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had winched the country out of darkness, gave it CPEC and road infrastructure, checked terrorism in its tracks and gave the first ever health and education systems, therefore, he did not need to run away from accountability and the country. She said that only a person like Imran Khan who had been abusing and denigrating state institutions and was a real thief would run away from the courts and use abusive language against them. The minister said that Imran could not face the people publicly because he knew he was a thief.
She said that Nawaz Sharif had said that he would himself set a tradition of accountability in the country and by appearing in the courts. He surely had set a unique example, she added. She said that Nawaz Sharif had also said that nobody would be able to avoid accountability and those who were raising hue and cry would also be taken care of soon. Marriyum said that by appearing before courts and the constitution Nawaz Sharif wanted to restore the sanctity of vote and honour of the people, who had elected him as prime minister for the third time.
Referring to Imran’s objection on security being provided to the former prime minister, she said that he did not understand the difference between protocol and security. The minister said that the one who had fought against terrorism surely needed security, while the one like Imran Khan, who had been part of them and supported them, did not.
Published in Daily Times, November 3rd 2017.
