Asif asks Imran to present himself for accountability before accusing others

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Wednesday said Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan should stop deceiving the people and present the trail of foreign funding to his party.

He said those seeking accountability should now present themselves for accountability. Talking to the media here outside the Supreme Court, the minister said Imran Khan had misled the people and collected donations in the name of hospital named after his mother.

He asked the PTI chief to show financial documents so that people should know as to where the amount collected as donations was spent. Khawaja Asif said there was not a single evidence against the prime minister in the documents sumbitted by the PTI with the court.

They have failed to collect any proof of what they were saying in the public, he added. He said even the PTI chief himself was confused as evident from the facts and figures which he daily said in public (talks or meetings) and those contained in the documents available with the court. That showed that his allegations were baseless, he added.

The minister said it was for the first time in the history of the country that old money transactions record was provided with full documents before the honorable court. He said Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was the only prime minister of the country who had presented himself and his family members for accountability.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb on Wednesday said that PTI’s allegation that Maryam Nawaz was dependent of the prime minister had been disproved by Maryam’s lawyer in the Supreme Court.

She said earlier the counsel of the prime minister proved that Nawaz Sharif had nothing to do with the Panama Papers and he had no association with any business or property as was being alleged by Imran Khan.

She said that the court clarified that documents that were portrayed as revelations on television screens had already been submitted as evidence in the court. "They are scared and that is why they are hurling false allegations at Maryam Nawaz," she said.

She said PTI was doing only politics on Panama Papers and could not prove any allegation in the apex court. PML-N leader Daniyal Aziz said Imran Khan should look into the report that gifts were exchanged among the members of the family of Jehangir Tareen.

He said Imran's own name was included in the list of those owning offshore companies. PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry said that their rivals were creating hurdles for Maryam Nawaz's entry into politics.

PML-N leader Maiza Hameed said the PTI was afraid of Maryam Nawaz, who is an emerging leader. She said Imran Khan had failed to provide the money trail of the party funds before the Election Commission of Pakistan.

Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique on Wednesday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had failed to produce any evidence in support of its allegations in the Panama Papers case.

The minister said the PTI was actually trying to propagate the court matter at roads and streets to mislead the people as the PTI failed to submit any supportive document regarding the Panama Papers case.

He said now people were well aware of the tactics of PTI which had multiplied its chief’s frustration as he was not expecting such a public response despite strong propaganda.

Commenting on Imran Khan making a mockery of opponent political parties’ leaders during media talks, Saad Rafique advised him to start the profession as a comedy actor and convert his party into a theatrical group. He said that PTI wanted to stretch the Panama Papers matter to the maximum for gaining petty political gains.