LAHORE -  In the background of the existing political crisis arising from the Panama leaks and Dawn leaks, former president and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been badly caught up in the situation and has been left with the only option to pack up and go home.

‘Go Nawaz Go’ has assumed the status of a national slogan which amply demonstrates aspiration of the people that they don’t want Nawaz Sharif any more in the office, Zardari said, talking to media here and later at Pattoki yesterday.

The former president said the rulers were just making rhetoric but their sails had lost the winds. As to the performance of the PML-N government, he said, it had miserably failed to fulfil promises and commitments made to the people. The prime minister and his government were facing a very difficult situation and they had no escape but packing up.

Zardari expressed surprise that the rulers get furious when they are reminded of the promises to the masses. “We will continue to condemn the rulers on the promises they had made before the elections as they had totally failed to come up to expectations of the masses. He vowed to continue protest against loadshedding in all the four provinces. He said he PPP would continue to expose the government’s corruption and inefficiencies on every front.

Asif Ali Zardari said PM Nawaz Sharif had lost the justification to stay in the office after two Supreme Court judges had disqualified him as a member of the assembly and the other three sought an inquiry against him.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister and PPP Secretary General Raja Pervez Ashraf has lamented the law is being differently applied to the PPP leaders.

While talking to media persons after his appearance before the accountability court in a reference of illegal appointments during his tenure, Raja Pervez said justice demands there should not be two laws to be applied to the PPP and the PML-N prime ministers.

He said he had been accused of appointing grade four employees. Though they have all been sacked, he is still appearing before the court as always respected judiciary and held the law supreme. He said all the PPP leaders right from Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to Benazir Bhutto paid due respect to the judiciary and the law of the land and they never shirked appearance before courts. He said when the PPP prime ministers have done so, why the PML-N prime minister is reluctant to do it. Law should be applied equally to the PMs of the two parties. He said he, being a former PM, is facing the allegation of awarding jobs to grade four employees; what charges are against the PML-N’s prime minister and how he is facing and how he is responding to them is before everyone.

Raja Ashraf said he did not commit the offence for which he is being prosecuted while on the other side the shady transaction was evident.

He turned down the Indian assertions of inflicting loss to Pakistan and said New Delhi would suffer if it ever attempted adventurism against Islamabad. He said Indian attitude towards Pakistan was not acceptable at all.

The former prime minister, however, expressed concern over the border situation and the situation inside Pakistan. He said a collective approach is necessary to resolve the issues and steer the country out of difficulties.

To a question, the former prime minister said Pakistan Army is quite alert to defend the motherland and the whole nation stands behind it. The unprecedented sacrifices given by the Pak army were their pride. He also condemned the Indian government’s act of sending the Pakistan students back.