The country cannot run without powers that be under the current circumstances, PPP leader Nadeem Afzal Chan has said, stressing that ‘project vs project’ was not the solution to issues.

“The establishment and politicians together have to run this country. It is the reality whether anyone believes it or not,” he said in an interview with Asma Shirazi on her show Faisla Aap Ka which was aired on Aaj News on Tuesday.

He was responding to a query about whether the political wanted to be near the powers that be. Many have criticised the arrival of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, saying that his homecoming after the end of four years of self-imposed was part of any deal.

But JUI-F’s legal expert Kamran Murtaza, who was also on the show, rejected Chan’s view, saying that such elements roll back the Constitution.

In response, the PPP clarified that he never thought about packing the Constitution. “We have rolled out the red carpet for those who packed Constitution. After every six months, a political force is created. Minar-e-Pakistan is a symbol of freedom but it is becoming a symbol of another thing. It has become a symbol of political engineering.”

When countered by the host, he said that there was a difference between filling a crowd and getting it filled.

The PPP leader called for a political system that was believed by the people. He went on to add that man still did not believe in the no-confidence motion against the former premier

“We should sit and find a solution. Project vs project cannot run. A project was ended at the Minar-e-Pakistan and another started from there,” Chan said.

‘Nawaz bail is not relief but redress’

PML-N leader clarified that the bail extension given to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia and Avenfield cases was not relief but redress.

He recalled how the former prime minister was punished for the case that he described as “misconduct”. Dastgir went on to add that there could be legal complications, but the politicians have to “draw a line” or else there would be an imbalance.

Dastgir was of the view that if it was proved that the judge who sentenced PTI chief Imran Khan to jail was under pressure then the former premier should also get relief.

Earlier on Tuesday, Punjab’s interim government suspended Nawaz’s sentence in the Al-Azizia case under Section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which deals with suspensions, remissions, and commutations of sentences.

“When any person has been sentenced to punishment for an offence, the provincial government may at any time without conditions or upon any conditions which the person sentenced accepts, suspend the execution of his sentence or remit the whole or any part of the punishment to which he has been sentenced,” it stated.

“Every citizen should get relief if the judge has done misconduct,” Dastgir said, adding that there was a big challenge for the next Parliament in terms of law.

When asked, JUI-F’s Murtaza said that relief provided to Nawaz and the reservations over the development were appropriate.

He went on to add that relief could be provided to the former premier legally, but he wondered about the extent of the Punjab government’s powers. Murtaza said Nawaz should have gotten the relief, however, he asked were common people were entitled to such a facility.

The JUI-F leader added hatred among the people would continue if such a trend continues.

He added that there were two objections to the Punjab government’s decision to invoke Section 401 of CrPC, saying whether the caretaker setup was allowed to do it or is here to rule for a limited period. Moreover, he asked whether it was for the common people or not.

Murtaza said that political engineering for the second time won’t work.

PPP’s Chan agreed with the views of JUI-F leader Murtaza. He added that the disparity between two systems of justice would erode justice. “It was political engineering to punish Nawaz. But you cannot have new political engineering. You are further defaming it,” he said and added that the Punjab government should not do this.

He stressed the need for improving the political situation.

Dastgir expressed hope that Nawaz would work with every political party before the election, ruling out any alliance.

Chan claimed that the PPP workers were not getting space in Punjab to run election campaigns.