Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry said on Wednesday that his party is ready for a “grand dialogue” if the election is announced.
Talking to the press in the federal capital, Chaudhry said, “Every other day, a new scandal of this government is coming to light. There is a solar scandal, which should be investigated.”
The former information minister said if the government continued making such moves one after the other, the country’s democracy might be derailed.
He claimed that no corruption case was filed against any of the ministers belonging to the PTI-led government.
Read more: Tax relief on cigarettes
“What happened to Captain (retd) Safdar in our tenure was done by the Sindh government. Two journalists were killed in Sindh, and cases are being registered against politicians. They want a solution to political problems, but the date of election should be given first.”
Criticising his predecessor Marriyum Aurangzeb, Chaudhry said she should respond as her husband is an Australian citizen and represents the tobacco industry in Pakistan.
Chaudhry claimed that billions of rupees were given to the tobacco industry because of what Marriyum’s lobby said. He alleged that due to her lobbying, foreign companies were given concessions.
Budget speech suggested imposition of taxes to curb smoking.
Instead tax relief given to the tobacco industry.
Interestingly, Marriyum Aurangzeb's husband is part of a big tobacco company in Pakistan.خود کو ریلیف
عوام کو تکلیف#امپورٹڈ_حکومت_نامنظور
https://t.co/sbm7A4N6TJ— Annus Raza (@annusraza) July 5, 2022
“Now, due to the lobbying of Ali Tareen and Marriyum Aurangzeb, the tobacco industry got billions of rupees as tax concessions,” Chaudhry said.
On the other hand, Shireen Mazari said that the grand dialogue should be led by those who have people’s mandate.
“There is no Opposition in the Parliament; the country’s largest political party is outside the Parliament,” said Mazari as she alleged that lawlessness was at its peak during the incumbent government’s tenure.
Read more: Shireen Mazari refutes latest allegation against PTI
“If you want to impose Martial Law, then announce it clearly. Wherever we go, our cars are stopped, and people are abducted,” said the former human rights minister.