Minister proposes parliamentary panel to probe causes of economic crisis

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has proposed constitution of a parliamentary panel to investigate causes of present economic crisis and pinpoint the accused.

Talking to media persons here, the minister said a committee like the parliamentary panel on alleged rigging in the general election, should be formed with the mandate to investigate the past 10 years period and trace the reasons behind the present economic crisis and name the persons responsible for it.

He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had never remained in power in the past and those, who ruled the country during last 10 years, were responsible for the rot. Why the opposition did not demand constitution of a parliamentary committee on the economic crisis, he asked.

Fawad said the PTI enjoyed the people’s mandate for implementation of its policies.

The minister said there was parliamentary system in the country and the bureaucracy was bound to respect the public representatives. All the legislators, including those from the opposition, must be respected, he added.

He said some bureaucrats had personal affiliation with former rulers and were trying to create hurdles, but there was no need to worry as the government had the right to remove such people from key posts to ensure smooth running of its affairs.

The Inspector General of Police Punjab, he said, was transferred due to policy matters and his failure to take any action on the prime minister’s directive regarding investigation into the Model Town killing incident. The previous investigations into the incident were carried out during the tenure of Shehbaz Sharif, which were not acceptable.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, he added, had assured Dr Tahirul Qadri that independent investigations would be held into the Model Town incident but the IGP did not take any concrete step in that regard. The IGP was a junior officer and he was appointed against the rules.

He was of the view that the decision of Election Commission of Pakistan to stay his transfer was illegal and the government had written a letter to the ECP in that regard.

The minister said corruption cases against Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif were neither registered during the PTI government nor it was using the same as a political tool. There was frustration among the masses over NAB’s failure in recovering stolen billions of dollars stashed in western banks.

He said Pakistan’s example was like a family whose house had been burgled and the thieves had escaped. The nation would have to catch the thieves to recover the stolen money and at the same time it had to get loans for running government affairs. Some $ 8 billion was needed for payment of loans and $ 28 billion for running the state affairs, he added.

Fawad said the National Assembly speaker had issued production orders of detained PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif. The opposition wanted to form a ‘united corruption union’ to pressurize the government to stop investigation into embezzled national wealth but the process of accountability would continue at all costs, he added.