Rehman Malik demands Zardari’s immediate release on medical grounds

Islamabad: PPP senior leader and Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior Senator Rehman Malik has demanded immediate release of former President Asif Ali Zardari and removal of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif name from Exit Control List (ECL) on their deteriorated health conditions.

While addressing the Senate session on Monday, Senator A. Rehman Malik said that there is a thin line between accountability and victimisation and victimisation brings hate and division among the people and create distrust upon the government.

He empathized that there should be an end to political victimisation in the country in the name of accountability. He said that arresting political opponents and continuing their trials discriminately is victimization rather accountability which is unacceptable to the opposition.

Senator Rehman Malik while addressing on the floor of the house of Senate said that “I would like to advise this house to bring necessary amendments into National Accountability (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Laws that those all dignitaries who had hold important constitutional portfolios i.e. President, Prime Minister, Chief Minister, Speaker National and Provincial Assembly, cabinet member, chief justice of Supreme Court and the judge of Supreme Court and High Court and others should be given indemnity and to be trailed without arrest adding If any court or agency wants any of them for any investigation they should be summoned and if any fails to appear despite of three summons his indemnity should be denounced. He stressed “I call upon every legislator and Member of the Parliament to think for necessary amendments into law to ensure the rule of law and to stop political victimisation”.

Senator Rehman Malik in his speech further said that PPP and PMLN are being victimized but the government must realize that time will not stop here, if today they are in government tomorrow they will be sitting on opposition benches and will be facing the same so it is time to say ‘No to Victimisation’.

He said that both Former President Asif Ali Zardari and Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had held the highest constitutional positions of the country hence they should not be humiliated for the reason to be political opponents.

He urged the government that let political leadership be tried in the court without keeping them in jail like many other politicians and others from treasury benches are being facing cases in different courts but all of them are granted bails and facing trial out of jails. He said that it is a victimisation to continue the trial of a favorite accused outside the jail while put the political opponents behind the bars mere based on accusation.

Senator Rehman Malik said that owing to his health condition, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif’ name should be removed from ECL immediately and should be allowed to travel abroad for his medical treatment. He said that the competent authority to put or remove someone name from ECL is the cabinet not the Ministry of Interior adding that removal from ECL by the cabinet means permission by the Prime Minister and NAB has no authority to remove someone name from ECL. He said that the government is foreseeing any political fall back but it must ignore any political fall back and follow the law. The NAB recommendation is an excuse as the cabinet is the competent authority as defined by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Senator Rehman Malik said that the government should not treat the under trial prisoners like convicted and we as nation must know the simple allegation of any magnitude or registration of a case does not declare the accused as convict. He urged the government to provide Asif Ali Zardari complete health facilities and medical examination by a medical team of private doctors for diagnosis of his diseases and treatment either in country or abroad.

The Senator recommended that this house must constitute a committee to review all the laws related to accountability which are being used as tools for victimisation of political opponents.