Imran should go to UK court instead of hurling allegations, says Pervaiz Rashid

‘PanamaLeaks confirmed PM has no assets abroad’

ISLAMABAD: Information and Broadcasting Minister Senator Pervaiz Rashid Monday denied that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif owned any offshore companies or had assets abroad, challenging the PTI chairman Imran Khan to prove in a British court, if there is any illegality in the business owned by his sons.

The minister told a news conference here that Panama Leaks had yet again confirmed that Premier Nawaz Sharif had no assets abroad. He asked Imran to at least regret what he had been saying about Nawaz and his family, if he had no moral courage to apologise.

“I offer Imran to move UK courts and prove what he has alleged against the sons of my leader, who have established their business after the steel mills shares in Saudi Arabia were sold. The PML-N will bear all the expenditure,” Pervaiz said. 

He added that Hussain and Hassan had to do business abroad after they had to face opposition and they also felt that since their father was a politician, doing business in Pakistan might create problems for their father.

He pointed out that both Hussain and Hassan Nawaz had acknowledged the fact repeatedly to be doing business abroad and explained sources of financing too. The minister said Imran would again fail to prove the lies, he had told, as had happened in the past.

The minister said Sharif family had been in business for the last 70-75 years and braved many crises, including thenationalisation of their business by the Bhutto regime in 1970s. He said the family used to manufacture sugar mill machinery, defence equipment and even took lead in producing road roller in Pakistan.

Reading out a portion from the copy of an affidavit by Imran’s ex-wife Jemima, the minister noted that she had mentioned Bani Gala property (300 kanal and five marlas) was purchased by Imran and then transferred to her name.

On the contrary, Imran had declared instead that the property belonged to Jemima, which was gifted to him later. He alleged that Imran had to say so, as he was unable to prove, how he managed to afford buying the property. “Confusion still remains about his factual position regarding the Bani Gala land,” he asserted.

Pervaiz said even today a question was asked to Imran about the properties offshore, he had purchased by investing zakat fund and other donations for Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and he again replied that he would not hesitate to sell his house to make for the losses.

“We wonder five years have already passed since the investment sank offshore but Imran has not made up for the losses he caused to the hospital that too by misusing donations and today, he repeated what he had said five years ago,” the minister regretted.

He lamented that if Imran set up offshore companies or properties with donations, it was halal according to him and if Nawaz Sharif’s sons did so with their legal resources, it was haram in the eyes of the PTI chief.

Replying to a question as to why he was replying as a minister to charges against Sharif family aired by Imran, he defended it saying that since the prime minister’s name was being involved and as a minister it was his duty to defend him, who was also his party leader and his Quaid. He noted Imran was previously criticising appointment of the NAB chairman but now demanding the same Bureau to investigate Panama Leaks.

The minister also said Imran would find fault with findings of the Bureau as he did in the case of outcome of the judicial commission’s findings with regards to his allegations of rigging into the 2013 general elections.

Pervaiz said the PML-N would take revenge from Imran by defeating him in the 2018 elections and its victory would be on the basis of its five-year performance, while the PTI leader would go to the masses on the basis of his lies.

Earlier, speaking at the launching ceremony of Islamabad Travel Guide Book, Pervaiz said the improved law and order situation in the country had paved the way for positive changes, including a healthy influx of international visitors to Pakistan. About Panama Leaks, he contended there was no new information in Panama Leaks and some elements are disseminating wrong information and distorting it for political purposes.