Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shireen Mazari on Friday said that everyone knows “the neutrals” were not actually neutral.

She said this during a press conference while raising a question whether ‘they’ were the part of ‘conspiracy’ to derail Pakistan on the economic and democratic fronts.

Mazari further said the neutrality of “neutrals” was now being questioned.

She said a “group of thieves” and “crime minister” who are now in power had an agenda to quash all cases against them. She asked from ‘the neutrals’ - what were they thinking when they allowed such a ‘conspiracy’ to succeed?

She said that a cypher was received on March 7 and the no-confidence motion was tabled just a day after it. Later, all of a sudden our allies approached the Sindh House and opposition leaders, while one minority dissident lawmaker was living in a rest house which belonged to ‘neutrals’.

Mazari asked how one could stay neutral when the country was facing destruction. She claimed that the nation was now standing against the “regime change conspiracy”.

She also questioned whether “neutrals” wanted Pakistan to recognise Israel. And, whether they want a foreign policy in which there is no freedom?

The PTI leader also expressed surprise at the Supreme Court for “giving an exact date and time for the National Assembly to take up the no-confidence motion” that ultimately saw Imran losing his office.

The former minister also lashed out at Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah for “threatening” the PTI, saying everyone including the “neutrals” had realised how big a mistake it was to pave the way for regime change under a “US conspiracy”.

She said Pakistan is facing economic problems as a result of these ‘thieves’ imposed on the country.

She said the economy had suffered the most in the wake of the conspiracy. “The rupee is depreciating, prices of edibles are rising, our reserves are declining, fuel prices are also on the up, and IMF has made its conditions clear regarding price hike.”

Mazari said Imran’s visit to Russia was the final nail in the coffin (for the PTI government). She said all stakeholders including the “establishment” had a consensus on Imran’s trip because his visit was aimed at securing deals for cheap oil and wheat.

The former minister said there was no law and order after the new government took charge. “Maryam Nawaz who is convicted is given state-level security while the security given to former PM Imran has been withdrawn.”

Alleging that the new government’s leaders were “robbers”, Mazari said the government was attempting to get all cases against its leaders quashed.

Criticising the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), she said several PTI lawmakers defected to other parties in clear violation of the Constitution but “the ECP is silent on it”.

She demanded the resignation of the chief election commissioner, accusing him of being a “part of the PML-N”.

The PTI leader said the incumbent government was appointing a trade officer in the mission in New Delhi, despite, knowing about the atrocities committed by India in occupied Kashmir.

She claimed enforced disappearances of Baloch students had increased after the PTI government was toppled, adding that no one from the ruling party met the affected families.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022