‘Cabinet wants Shehbaz to resign as PAC chairman’

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister, Fawad Chaudhry, on Thursday said the federal cabinet had demanded Shehbaz Sharif to immediately resign as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), ARY News reported.

“Shehbaz is wanted to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in cases, hence he must step down on moral grounds,” he told a press conference after the federal cabinet meeting.

Shehbaz is accused in NAB cases who often comes to Islamabad, said the minister.

He said now demands were being made to nominate Khawaja Saad Rafique and others as PAC members. And subsequently production orders are requested on the pretext, he added.

“The cabinet has expressed its reservation on this situation.”

Chaudhry said Shehbaz Sharif was himself trying to protect persons wanted to NAB in different cases.

Regarding ‘perceived’ inflation, the minister said the inflation rate rose by 1.6 percent in the first six months when the PTI government assumed power, however, on the contrary, when the PML-N government took up the reins the inflation rate increased by 5.6 percent during the same corresponding period.

Read also: Shehbaz chairs PAC session after receiving ‘objection’ from PTI member

Chaudhry said the government was also in process of creating a mobile app that will allow people to check rates of basic commodities and this would help them being fleeced at the hands of profiteers.

The minister stated that complaints were received regarding inflated gas bills, and the government had decided to conduct audit of gas companies.

“Only 40 percent of the total population in Pakistan has gas connections,” he stated.

Blaming the former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for finalizing unwanted LPG deal during his tenure, the minister said “it is because of Khaqan Abbasi that we are getting gas at higher rates.”

Further, he said PM Khan had issues special directives for reviewing policy for occupants of ministers’ enclave. “People like Raza Rabbani and Mushahidullah Khan are still residing in the ministers’ enclave,” he told the presser.

He informed that a committee had been formed on overseas Pakistanis involved in development works. “The committee chairman will be Chaudhry Sarwar.”

He said the government was also about to present a bill regarding senior citizens that will make sure provision and protection of their basic rights.

The minister said no discussion was held during the cabinet meeting regarding Aleem Khan’s arrest.

He said there was need to further strengthen the National Accountability Bureau.