'N' perturbed over Zardari taking credit

LAHORE-The PML-N leadership is reportedly perturbed over PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari for taking credit of highlighting the issue of deposed judges salaries since they believe that it was actually Shahbaz Sharif who took the initiative.


The sources confided to The Nation on Monday that PML-N President, Shahbaz Sharif took up the matter in a recent meeting with Law Minister Farooq H Naik, citing poor financial condition of certain judges who were hand to mouth due to non-payment of salaries to them.


Shahbaz, according to sources, took this initiative after the PML-N leadership felt that PPP was not adhering to its commitment to reinstate the deposed judges in the near future.


He pressed Naik that before reinstatement of the sacked judges, they should be at least provided some immediate relief by making payment of their held salaries.


Shahbaz told Naik that he knew some of the judges residing in Lahore who were hard pressed even to pay the dues of their school going children and to meet other expenses due to non-payment of salaries. Naik assured Shahbaz that he would take up the matter with Asif Ali Zardari.


'Realising plight of the deposed judges as highlighted by Shahbaz Sharif, Asif Zardari declared on Saturday that deposed judges would be paid their five-month salaries; but while making the announcement, he did not mention the name of PML-N leader who had actually brought the matter into his notice through the Law Minister', a PML-N leader lamented who requested not to be named, but assured he would openly say all this if the other side denied the story.


The PML-N source maintained that PPP was trying to take credit by announcing payment of salaries to the deposed judges, and thus giving the impression as if it was more concerned about their plight than any other political party.


The announcement by Zardari came after the PML-N pulled out of the Federal Cabinet as protest following govt's failure to fulfil its promise of reinstating the sacked judges as per Murree Declaration.