Arbab damaging party at MQM and PML-F behest, says Imtiaz

ISLAMABAD: Imtiaz Shiekh, the PML Sindh general secretary and dismissed revenue minister, met PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain at his house on Tuesday and presented him a report on alleged corruption by Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Online reported.

Imtiaz told Shujaat that the PML Sindh was split because of the chief minister and called for action against him. He said that Arbab was damaging the party at the behest of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and PML-Functional. “The corruption charges levelled against me are baseless,” Imtiaz told Shujaat, pleading his innocence.

Sources said that Shujaat urged Arbab and Imtiaz to stop levelling corruption charges against each other. Imtiaz assured Shujaat that he would abide by the decision of the Prime Minister’s Investigation Commission, which is presently investigating the matter. Shahzad Raza from Islamabad adds: Imtiaz reached Islamabad to provide senior government officials with evidence of alleged crimes by Arbab, who already took the same course against the former minister.

“I have come here to provide evidence of corruption and other crimes committed by the chief minister. I will meet all my friends in Islamabad and take them into confidence,” Imtiaz told Daily Times after reaching Islamabad.

Meanwhile, Arbab met Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in a bid to strengthen his case. An official press statement said the prime minister said that as the administrative head, the chief minister was responsible to run the provincial government.

In a separate meeting, Arbab called on Tariq Aziz, the National Security Council (NSC) secretary. Sources privy to the meeting said the chief minister provided the NSC secretary with documented evidence on alleged corruption by the sacked minister. Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Pakistan Muslim League (PML) president, was also present.

Imtiaz claimed that there was no documented evidence against him. He said he had already handed over documented evidence against the chief minister to the PMIC.

Meanwhile, Pir Pagaro, the PML-F chief, proposed imposing Governor’s Rule in Sindh owning to the serious dispute between the chief minister and former revenue minister.

Meanwhile, Yousaf Talpur of the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians moved an adjournment in the National Assembly (NA) on the dispute between the chief minister and sacked revenue minister. Chaudhry Amir Hussain, NA speaker, said the motion would be clubbed with a few other identical motions to be taken up later.

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