Federal Minister for Law and Justice Dr Babar Awan said on Sunday the Pakistan People’s Party leadership was always ready for accountability but politics of retaliation would not be allowed.

Addressing a press conference here, he said that it was decided in Charter of Democracy (CoD) that all political leaders would respect each other but “some friends” had forgotten the clause.

He said the government had initiated a policy of reconciliation to promote democracy and ousted the names of dictators from the constitution by passing the 18th amendment.

Babar suggested that PML-N Chief Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif contest election and the PPP would not bring any candidate against him.

He said Nawaz Sharif had been out of parliament for almost 11 years, adding that he should join parliament as an elected member as parliament was also a training institute for politicians.

He said that parliament was not remote-controlled, adding Nawaz was a prominent leader and he should be in the parliament.

Regarding the new chairman of National Accountability Bureau (NAB), he said that Mian Nawaz Sharif had appreciated Deedar Hussain when he was chief justice of the Sindh High Court in a petition. (Copies of the petition were also provided to the media on the occasion).

“How Deedar Husain has become ineligible now ?” he questioned.

The minister said that confusion was being created about the appointment of NAB Chairman which was baseless and it was cleared by Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani in his recent statement that the appointment was a constitutional right of the President.

He said the PPP had never objected to any appointment by the PML-N during its government and it would have no objection even in future as it respected institutions.

Babar Awan, while discussing the CoD, said the PPP had implemented 80% of it and asked who had left the committee when constitutional courts were being discussed.

He said that it was decided in the CoD that people responsible for martial law in the country would not be appointed to any post but the Punjab government had appointed General Ziauddin (retd) Butt in the province and violated the CoD.

The minister said the federal government had given a reasonable status to the opposition and questioned whether the Punjab government was ready to give the same status to its opposition.

He said that peaceful protest and rallies were the right of the people in democracy and enforcement of section 144 against people was undemocratic and unfortunate.

To a question, he said the appointment of chairman NAB was non-judicial and it had no link to the Al-Jehad Trust case.

To another question about the use of a helicopter, Babar Awan said that he had used it after the permission of authority but questioned how Nawaz Sharif was using helicopters when he did not hold any office?

He said blaming others was wrong but defence was the right of every body.

Sheikh Riaz Ahmad, former director general FIA, and Shabina Riaz, former MPA, hosted a luncheon for the guests and media persons.