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MULTAN - Supporting the idea of a ruthless accountability, politician Makhdoom Javed Hashmi said that the people involved in corruption and tax evasion should be hanged or shot publicly.
Hashmi said that the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) had become controversial and the people would not accept the verdicts given by it. Addressing a news conference here at Multan Press Club, he added that the judges should think before giving remarks.
He tossed the idea of constituting a fact finding commission to carry out the accountability. “Set up a commission and produce Imran Khan, Raheel Sharif and me before it,” he added. He said that everyone should be held accountable including Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Hussain Nawaz and Imran Khan.
He was of the opinion that the country did not have any accountability mechanism, adding that the NAB was nothing. He said that those issued misleading statements against him, would have to seek pardon. “I have complete record of my finances. Even I have put my house on sale. Those speaking against me will have to seek pardon,” he claimed.
He said that both the PML (N) and PTI were unhappy with him but he did not want to appease them either. “I am not going to join PML (N). Imran Khan’s party should be given the right to contest their legal fight,” he asserted. He warned that the democracy would lose its strength and the institutions would lose their dignity and respect if the current situations prevailed.
He said that the people had lost their trust in other institutions and bureaucracy because of their conduct. “What if the people lose their trust in judiciary? Where will they go then?” he raised questions. He said that the name of former Chief Justice Tassaduq Jilani was discussed for the president slot but he declined the offer. “Imran Khan repeated it many times that Tasadduq Jilani was not a good man but the other, who will come next, is their person. Summon me in contempt case and I’ll talk on this issue there,” he declared.
He claimed that the current government vindicated him during last three years. He added that fake terrorism cases were registered against his family and his late cousins were nominated. “Our properties were bulldozed. It cannot be done without Chief Minister’s permission,” he asserted. He said that Imran Khan wanted him to contest election from Lahore but he refused to run against Nawaz Sharif. He said that he did not want tickets from anyone as his future was with Pakistan and its people. He claimed that Nawaz Sharif never granted him ticket happily but the public elected him for record 11 terms.
He said that parliament was like a mother but all were bent upon disrespecting it. He said, “We are in favour of ISI and army; the ISI is the strongest pillar of national defence.” He lashed out at former president Parvez Musharraf and said that he was a hoodlum. “But Nawaz Sharif could not dare stop him and he was sent abroad,” he claimed.
He said that continuity of parliamentary system in the country was inevitable; and that the parliament was going to accomplish second consecutive term which was a good omen for democracy.
A TV CHANNEL ADDS: Senior politician Javed Hashmi expressed that Nawaz Sharif and Hussain Nawaz are not above the constitution and that everyone including the prime minister should be held accountable for their actions.
The former PML-N stalwart professed while letting it be known that the JIT should carry out with its job without any lopsidedness as there will no sort of accountability whatsoever in the case of JIT being controversial.
Javed Hashmi was also of the opinion that remarks made by judges in Panamagate are sorrowful and that allegorically terming an elected prime minister and government as ‘Godfather’ and ‘Sicilian Mafia’ is not a fair thing to do.
