No political cell in Presidency: Ch Nisar was architect of IJI: Kaira

NAVEED BUTT & WAQAR LILLAH

ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has said that Pakistan People’s Party’s mandate was stolen in 1990’s elections through a well–planned conspiracy devised by spy agencies in connivance of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N).

“Fake organizations like Tehreek-e-Takhfuz-e-Pakistan, Pakistan Voter Forum, Tehreek-e-Nojawan-e-Pakistan, Tehreek-e-Intaqam-e-Paksitan etc. were created in 1990 to launch propaganda campaign against the PPP. Our opponents came into power through the support of spy agencies, while we came into power with the support of the people despite all struggle by agencies,” Kaira said while addressing a news conference here on Tuesday.        

“Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan says he does not accept the investigation of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) while the Supreme Court had ordered FIA to investigate regarding the recipients of money from secret agencies,” he added.  Kaira said that some leaders of the PML-N wanted investigation through a commission while others by United Nations (UN).

The PPP leader claimed that Chaudhry Nisar was the architect of IJI because his party had most of the ministries at that time. He said that at that time 80 percent seats were ‘given’ to PML-N and 20 percent to other parties. 

He said that the formation of IJI had started prior to Benazir Bhutto’s arrival in 1986 and accused agencies of manipulating the 1988, 1996, 2002 and 2008 elections. He said that intelligence agencies had also manipulated 1988 elections and right-wing got 63 seats while PPP bagged 92 seats.

“Lahore High Court Bench headed by Justice Rafiq Tarrar at that time gave judgment against Benazir Bhutto. As reward, the PML-N elected Tarar as President of Pakistan in 1997,” he said.

“Today, the PML-N talks about Sadiq and Amen (truthful and honest). Now, the history has proved who is Sadiq and Amen.  The PML-N leaders should feel ashamed and apologise to the nation. The government, which came into being after 1990 elections was illegitimate,” he argued.         

To a question, Kaira said that today there was no political cell in the presidency.

“The office of the Presidency is purely political. Parliament elects a President. And Parliament is right place for politics. Politics take place in the parliament. But the office of the President is impartial. There is no wrong in meeting the President if the people belonging to any of the province or other parts of the country want to see him. The PML-N leaders can also meet the President,” he said.          

During the press conference, the Minister showed newspapers’ clippings of that time, wherein former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto had categorically claimed that the 1990 elections were rigged and a political cell in the Presidency was used for this purpose.  “Our party and leadership sacrificed for democracy in the country. Today, Mian Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif are sitting in the country because of Benazir Bhutto,” he said.