Shahbaz Sharif asks COAS, DG ISI to produce evidence if Opposition members committed treason

• PML-N leader demands COAS and DG ISI to take notice of this issue and produce evidence in the Supreme Court.
• "We will put this demand forward through our lawyers on creation of a forum in which the matter is clarified," he says.
• Shahbaz Sharif says if the matter isn’t resolved country will become a “Banana Republic”.

ISLAMABAD: PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday asked Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and DG ISI to present evidence before the nation on whether the Opposition leaders have committed treason.

Speaking to journalists outside the premises of the Supreme Court, Shahbaz reiterated that none of the Opposition leaders have committed treason. “We did not invite any foreign power and neither are we involved in any foreign conspiracy,” he said, adding that this issue should be clarified.

“I demand COAS and DG ISI to take notice of this issue and produce evidence in the Supreme Court if we have committed treason,” Shahbaz said, adding that he has never spoken such clear words before.

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The PML-N leader said he will also present this request in front of the Supreme Court, “we will put this demand forward through our lawyers that please review this matter and create a forum in which the matter is clarified.”

Recalling their previous demands, he said: “We have been raising this issue for last three-and-a-half years that this government and the prime minister is illegal.”

He complained that when the joint Opposition submitted a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan practising its constitutional right the former PTI-led government raised the issue of “foreign conspiracy.”

The Opposition leader said: “It is now time for the army officials, who have made innumerable sacrifices, to clarify whether the National Security Committee (NSC) passed a resolution in which the role of Opposition in the ‘foreign conspiracy’ is stated.”

Read more: Military has nothing to do with whatever happened today, say DG ISPR

“Did they sign those minutes? See if it has the approval of the establishment?” he questioned.

Replying to a question regarding the formation of the caretaker government, the PML-N leader said that he has not received President Arif Alvi’s letter in this regard, adding that first, they want the Supreme Court to resolve the issue of the unconstitutional step taken by the president and prime minister and then they [the Opposition] will talk about other matters.

He said that if the matter isn’t resolved, the country will become a “Banana Republic”.