Nawaz overlooked ‘forces’ behind his own return from UK exile: PTI leader
ISLAMABAD: Barrister Gohar Ali Khan of the opposition PTI on Thursday strongly criticised ex-premier Nawaz Sharif, accusing him of overlooking the powerful forces behind his return from UK exile and demanding that he hold them accountable for orchestrating his political resurrection.
Speaking on a point of order in the National Assembly, Gohar turned the tables on Nawaz Sharif’s recent comments, in which the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader had called for accountability for those who brought Imran Khan into power in 2018.
“Nawaz Sharif demands accountability for those behind Imran’s rise, but has he ever questioned who brought him back from the UK, erased his conviction, and imposed him on the public after the 2024’s rigged elections with no real support,” he questioned.
Gohar’s remarks were razor-sharp, taking aim at Nawaz Sharif for conveniently ignoring the circumstances surrounding his return.
“Why isn’t Nawaz Sharif demanding accountability from those who sent court officials to clear his name and installed his party in power despite lacking any electoral mandate,” he pressed, referencing the shadowy deals that facilitated Nawaz Sharif’s comeback after years in exile.
The PTI leader also slammed recent legislative changes, claiming they were designed to prop up the government at the cost of democratic principles.
He warned that these moves could undermine the very institution of parliament, sidelining lawmakers from both sides. “At this rate, there’ll come a time when no one will be left in this house,” he warned.
Turning to PTI’s recent loss in the NA-18 by-election in Haripur, he blasted the government’s “mishandling” of the political crisis, particularly the disqualification of PTI’s Omar Ayub as opposition leader.
He called it a “blatant assault on democratic values.” “This is not how a civilized democracy operates,” he fumed, accusing the ruling PML-N of politically motivated actions to sideline Ayub.
“In any democracy, both the opposition and treasury must play their roles, but the PML-N has shamelessly snatched the opposition leader’s seat.”
The exchange grew more heated when Information Minister Ataullah Tarar fired back at Gohar’s comments, condemning PTI’s ongoing attacks on state institutions.
He accused the opposition of hypocrisy, highlighting their own actions in power. “PTI rejected every offer from the then opposition, including Shehbaz Sharif’s Charter of Economy, and resorted to authoritarian tactics – jailing political leaders and undermining the rule of law,” he declared.
Tarar mocked Barrister Gohar and his party for now criticizing the government’s handling of democracy, quoting a famous line from a ghazal: “Yaad-e-mazi azab hai yarab, cheen le mujhse hafiza mera” (The memories of the past are haunting, God, take away my memory).
He also slammed PTI for still refusing to engage in dialogue with the government to address the ongoing political crisis, despite repeated invitations from the NA speaker.
Meanwhile, the House erupted into chaos when five freshly minted PML-N MNAs rose to take their oaths, with the PTI-led opposition unleashing a storm of “mandate thieves” chants and blasting the by-elections as rigged.
Tensions boiled over as PTI lawmakers, led by Barrister Gohar, stormed the Speaker’s dais, hurling fiery slogans and condemning the government’s “shady” dealings.
Despite the uproar, Speaker AyazSadiq pressed on, managing to administer the oath to the newly elected PML-N MNAs – Babar Nawaz Khan (NA-18 Haripur), Daniyal Ahmed (NA-104 Faisalabad), Muhammad Nauman (NA-129 Lahore), Muhammad Tufail (NA-143 Sahiwal), and MehmoodQadir Khan (NA-185 Dera Ghazi Khan).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025