Shehbaz’s statement about national govt ‘extra constitutional’: Fawad Hussain

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Wednesday took exception to PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif for an “extra constitutional statement” to form a national government for five years.

Fawad, in a news statement, said it was a clear violation of the oath of a parliamentarian as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, in an interview aired on a private TV channel, had proposed the new set-up sans the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

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He said all the parliamentarians were bound to follow the constitutional provisions as “all [of us] have taken the oath to protect the Constitution,” he added.

The minister said the PTI was the country’s most popular party as it had secured the highest number of votes in the last general election of 2018.

He accused the opposition parties of indulging in ‘sale and purchase’ of the members of Parliament.

Earlier, talking to the media after meeting the leadership of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) at Parliament Lodges in Islamabad on Wednesday, President Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) Shehbaz Sharif said that negotiations with the government’s allies were in progress and expressed hope that they would make their mind about the no-confidence motion soon.

When asked why the government’s allies were delaying too much in reaching some decision, Shehbaz Sharif replied that the allies should have been asked this question, adding that talks, however, were underway.

Answering a question, he said final strategy would be chalked out as soon as matters with the allies were settled down.

Talking to journalists on the occasion, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the Opposition was satisfied with the progress in talks with the government’s allies.

The Maulana said that they were optimistic about good outcome of ongoing process.

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MQM leader and Federal Minister for Information Technology Aminul Haq on this occasion said that his party was reviewing the situation and would soon inform the media about their decision.