Punjab govt’s protest against outages rebellion against Centre, says Kaira

The Punjab government’s protest against load shedding is rebellion against the federal government, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament House, Kaira criticised the Sharif brothers, who he said were “fanning provincial prejudice and raising slogans against the Centre”. “The Sharif brothers left the country in the hour of need. They try to influence court decisions,” Kaira said, alleging that Nawaz Sharif was promoting parochialism and reviving 90s politics. He described Shahbaz Sharif’s camp against load shedding as a ‘political drama’, claiming that it had enhanced miseries of the people. “The camp office seems to be a drama by Shahbaz Sharif. It is like Ziaul Haq’s going to the Secretariat on bicycle.” Kaira lashed out at the Punjab government, holding it responsible for ‘failed’ projects and schemes. “Shahbaz is not implementing measures to minimise the electricity problems, but trying to politicise the issue. Punjab has the potential to produce unlimited electricity under the 18th Amendment but the chief minister has taken no action despite having the authority to do so,” Kaira said. “Billions of rupees have been wasted on Sasti Roti, Yellow Cab and employment schemes. Punjab’s Danish School project is also not viable,” Kaira said. To a question about Behria Town chief Malik Riaz, a central character of allegations levelled against Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s son, Arsalan Iftikhar, Kaira said Riaz was a business tycoon since many years and the PPP rulers did not promote him to such a status.