Maryam says prefers quitting govt than unleashing new wave of inflation

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-president Maryam Nawaz said on Thursday that it was better to quit the government than burden people with more inflation, Aaj News reported.

Addressing a rally in Sargodha, Maryam said it was easy to "prostrate before the IMF and consent" to the withdrawal of subsidies. However, she said that the PML-N chief would prefer to relinquish the charge rather than burden people with a further price hike.

She urged Supreme Court to also take suo motu notice of the delay in the foreign funding case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

"We welcome the Supreme Court's sou motu notice against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, but the honourable court should also take a sou motu on the delay in foreign funding case, and on the accusations leveled by former Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director-General Dr Bashir Memon," Maryam said.

She said that the judges should also take notice against the former special assistant to the prime minister on accountability, Shahzad Akbar, for registering "fake corruption cases against the PML-N leadership."

She urged the Supreme Court not to make the justice system controversial by showing a tilt toward PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

Maryam Nawaz's comments come a day after the apex court put restrictions on what actions authorities can take when it comes to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and FIA cases.

It said authorities cannot withdraw any cases, make new appointments or transfer any officials.

A five-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial heard the matter today.

NAB, FIA cases: SC puts restrictions on what actions authorities can take

During the hearing, Justice Bandial said that FIA's former director Mohammad Rizwan, who was probing the money laundering charges against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, was transferred and later died of a heart attack.

The CJP said these developments are concerning.

The SC also issued notices to the FIA director-general, NAB chairman and the interior secretary and sought their explanation as to why there was interference in criminal cases.

During her address tonight, she claimed that former premier Imran Khan was behind the current economic crisis, and called on state institutions to stop Imran Khan from inflicting more harm to the country.

“Imran Khan is a fitnah. All the state institutions must stop him from keeping on his notorious anti-state acts,” she said.

Maryam said that the people of Pakistan love Nawaz Sharif for his 40-year public service.

She claimed Nawaz Sharif came into power in 2013 and the country was facing 22-hour load-shedding and terror strikes were a routine. Nawaz Sharif got rid of terrorism and load-shedding in three years, she recalled, adding that Khan was made PM and in just four years, he brought the state to the verge.

"The power crisis returned and state writ has been challenged in the four-year term of this selected PM," she said, adding that this person has been asking the Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition government to show its four-week performance.