HYDERABAD: Adviser to the Chief Minister on Information Moula Bux Chandio has accused Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan of `provoking political controversies to cover up government`s failures in ensuring national security` He roundly criticised Mr Khan in his sharp reaction to the latter`s press conference earlier in the day during which the interior minister explained why the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had chosen to oppose the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) over the Panama Papers leaks issue and his [the minister`s] handling of national security and other affairs.

`The failed interior minister must step down,` Mr Chandio said while speaking to journalists at a candlelight vigil held outside the local press club for those who lost their lives in the recentcarnagein Quetta.

`Chaudhry Nisar tends to divert people`s attention from real issues. He is the interior minister of a nuclear nation but is discussing Ayyan Ali which reflects his own political worth,` Mr Chandio argued.

`People are asl(ing from the [federal] government why the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) is not activated and why reforms for seminaries have not been introduced so far. The government should explainwhat happened to `watan parasti` [patriotism] doctrine and the related literature as was promised by it,` Mr Chandio said, and argued that the government did have funds for its person-specific propaganda but not for Nacta.

He came hard on the interior minister for asking why opposition was targeting him. `If you are not government, then why are you enjoying authority. Why do you dissociate yourself from government. You better quit because you are a failed interior minister,` he said.

Mr Chandio said that the nation wanted the government to come clean on the Panama Leaks scam. `It`s government that evaded parliament.

Is this a political government? Don`t you have some amount of remorse?` he said.

The PPP leader said that Chaudhry Nisar did not have the standing to criticise [PPP founder chairman] Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was the symbol of development in the country. He advised the interior minister to avoid passing such remarks. He said the PPP knew the case against Mr Bhutto [in which he was convicted and executed] was fake but he and his party faced it.

Mr Chandio observed that whenever a terroristactivity took place orapoint ofnationalsecurity was involved, the army chief, instead of a government functionary, would speak first and this was the failure of the PML-N regime. `Backto-back attacks have taken place in Quetta whereas children are being kidnapped inLahore, where people avoid coming out of their homes,` he further observed.

Mr Chandio alleged that the interior minister got personal in issuing statements against political leadership. He took a swipe at the minister for his remarks linking PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari with model Ayyan Ali in some way.

He said Chaudhry Nisar spoke to hide the government`s failures. `When the prime minister needs friends and seeks reconciliation with political parties, he [Chaudhry Nisar] kicl(s off controversies,` he alleged, and claimed that the PML-N government and its interior minister had different wavelengths.

`This candlelight vigil is in fact condemnation of the government, which boasts of its successful national security policy,` he remarked.

He said the PPP did not feel offended by the minister`s statements about Ayyan Ali and Dr Asim Hussain. Rather, it felt that such statements reflected his political standing, he added.

Mr Chandio said that the Nacta chairman had conceded failure of the institution. He said that while Chaudhry Nisar spoke against [Z.A.] Bhutto, he did not have courage to speak on [former president General Pervez ] Musharraf.

`Why do you have cold feet when it comes to speaking on Musharraf. You didn`t have courage to bring him to the apex court. You [the PML-N government] remained a silent spectator [when he left the country],` he said.