PM says no to NRO, rejects reports of ‘deal’

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday chaired a high-level meeting of party leaders and discussed the situation after arrest of senior party leader Aleem Khan, ARY News reported.

According to sources, PM Khan rejected reports of striking a National Reconciliation Ordinance-like deal with anyone. “We are not having a deal with any [party or person],” sources quoted Khan as saying during the meeting, attended by senior party leaders Shireen Mazari, Shafqat Mahmood, Usman Dar, Shibli Faraz, Ali Zaidi, Amir Kiani, Firdous Ashiq Awan and others.

The meeting also reviewed the criticism being leveled by the opposition on the government.

PM Khan directed party leaders to convey government’s point of view to the public in a positive manner. He also rejected an impression that any deal was taking place with anyone.

On Jan 14, Prime Minister Imran Khan had termed frequent opposition walkouts in the National Assembly as “mere tactics to seek a National Reconciliation Ordinance.”

Read more: Opposition’s NA walkouts a tactic to seek NRO: PM Khan

PM Khan stated, “In a Parliament that costs taxpayers billions yearly, yet another walkout in NA by the Opposition shows that this is the only function they intend to perform. These are pressure tactics to seek an NRO & evade accountability for corruption in NAB cases not initiated by PTI.”

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led government has been accusing the opposition for making several attempts to seek a NRO and a way out to evade accountability over corruption. However, the opposition parties, particularly the Pakistan People’s Party and the PML-N have rejected the government’s claim.

A few days ago, PML-N leader Hamza Shehbaz said the government was portraying a wrong impression regarding opposition members seeking a NRO. “Let me clarify that we have no desire for NRO.”

Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed also claimed that deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif sought a NRO for Maryam Nawaz but former president Asif Ali Zardari was not interested in the same deal for PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

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