PM Abbasi says visited CJP as a ‘faryadi’ of the country

SARGODHA: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday said he had visited the Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar as a 'faryadi' (complainant) of the country. 

He was referring to the reported remarks of Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar during a hearing on Thursday wherein he had said his job was to listen to the pleas of every 'faryadi'.

If CJP had used ‘faryadi’ he should have stuck to it: Nawaz

Former PM made the remarks while interacting with reports inside the court hearing corruption cases against him and his family

"The prime minister came with a plea, and it is my duty to hear everyone’s requests. I didn’t go to the PM house or the Secretariat. They came to visit me," Justice Nisar was quoted as saying.

Later in the day, the apex court clarified that the chief justice never used the word 'faryadi'  for Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. The remarks had stirred controversy, with Nawaz commenting yesterday that the prime minister can seek an explanation on them from the chief justice. 

Addressing the public in Sargodha, Abbasi said his opponents had a problem with his meeting with the chief justice and have leveled allegations that he visited him as a 'faryadi'. 

"They said I visited the chief justice as a 'faryadi' so yes, I did go to him as a faryadi...as a 'faryadi' of this country."

"My witness is the chief justice," he said. "I don't want to discuss the meeting but I can tell you that we did not discuss any personal issues."

Abbasi said he had contacted Justice Nisar to discuss issues faced by the country.

'Votes for Senate chairman were bought'

The prime minister, during his address, reiterated that the Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani had been elected through bought votes.

"I am saying this again today that money was used to get the Senate chairman elected," Abbasi said. "He [Sanjrani] cannot represent Pakistan." 

He challenged political rivals PTI Chief Imran Khan and PPP-Co Chairman Asif Ali Zardari to say it on the record that MPAs were not bought.

"I challenge Imran and Zardari to appear on the television and say that MPAs and votes were not bought." 

"Imran has forgotten how he used to lament that Asif Zardari had bought fourteen PTI MNAs. And when the time to elect the chairman of Senate, he voted for Zardari's candidate."

The prime minister said that he was proud that his party had not spent a single rupee during the Senate elections.

He also discussed the upcoming elections in July, stating that the politics of abuse will be buried in the 2018 General Elections. The prime minister expressed faith that the incumbent government will complete its tenure.