Khurram Sher Zaman says there is no point of Agha Siraj Durrani holding the portfolio of Sindh Assembly Speaker.
Islamabad (Pakistan Point News – 20th February, 2019) The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has demanded Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani’s resignation following his arrest.
PTI leader Khurrum Sher Zaman said that investigations against the Sindh Assembly speaker are underway. Therefore, there is no point of Agha Siraj Durrani holding the portfolio of Sindh Assembly Speaker.
Demanding his resignation, the PTI leader recalled how Aleem Khan had resigned as Punjab minister after his arrest.
He said that Agha Siraj should continue with the precedent and tender his resignation.
Agha Siraj Durrani's arrest
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has arrested Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani.
According to details, Durrani has been arrested for owning assets beyond known sources of income and doing embezzlements in government funds.
The Sindh Assembly speaker was arrested from Islamabad from where he will be shifted to NAB Rawalpindi.
NAB will shift him to Karachi after getting his transit remand.
Sources said that the NAB chairman had signed Durrani’s arrest warrants.
NAB Karachi had summoned the speaker several times; however, he failed to appear before the court.
The NAB Karachi team had then sought his arrest warrants from the NAB chairman.
Last year, NAB had initiated three separate inquiries against Durrani for allegedly owning assets beyond means and illegally recruiting 352 individuals for various government positions.
PPP's reaction
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has condemned the arrest of Sindh Assembly Speaker Agha Siraj Durrani.
PPP leader and Sindh Information Minister Murtaza Wahab said, “For the first time, a sitting speaker has been arrested. This is beyond understanding."
“We are ready for investigation. We had faced cases in the past and will continue to do so.”
“Are there two parallel laws in Pakistan? Are there different laws for PPP and ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its coalition parties,” the provincial minister questioned, adding, “Has the court ever indicted any PTI leader?”
“There was no case against Sindh Assembly speaker in NAB but we are ready for inquiry,” he said.
Terming it a violation of fundamental human rights guaranteed by the constitution, he asked, “Aren’t there inquiries against National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar and Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi?”
We want accountability but it should be across the board, he said and added this will send a wrong message.
