Shahbaz announces moving court against Imran

Bribery allegation

Says he will leave politics forever if found guilty but up to PTI chief if he is proved wrong; there should be daily hearing

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday, terming Imran Khan’s allegations vis-à-vis Rs10 billion bribe as baseless, announced moving the court against him.

“Mr Niazi (Imran) should listen to it. I shall move court at every cost. If the allegation is proved, then I shall leave politics once and for all besides apologising to the nation.”

“But if Imran Khan is proved wrong, then it would be his discretion to leave the politics. However, Imran Khan would be termed as a proficient liar as well as the chief of the liars in his dictionary,” he remarked.

The chief minister was addressing an awareness programme about the Punjab Educational Endowment Fund (PEEF) at the University of Sargodha.

Shahbaz said, “Just like the Supreme Court daily heard the Panama Papers case, I earnestly appeal the court, in which this case is to be filed, that it should hear the matter on daily basis so that the facts should come out.”

He announced an increase of Rs5 billion in the budget of PEEF from July 1, increasing the total volume of endowment fund to Rs23 billion.

Shahbaz said, “PEEF is a sacred mission which has been benefiting hundreds of thousands of scholars who would help make the country great in the comity of nations. Free education, health and provision of residential facilities are a responsibility of every genuine welfare state. And, we are following the policies of making this country a welfare state.”

The chief minister invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spend the colossal budget of his country on education instead of destruction of the region. He advised that the PEEF-like projects should be initiated there, so that the poverty and ignorance could be eradicated from the region.

He said access to equal opportunities of development was the right of every Pakistani and asked why the opponents were opposing equitable development.

He made the PEEF vice-chairman to promise that the total number of beneficiaries would be increased to 350,000 from the next year.

He announced constituting a committee on the recommendations of which funds would be released to the Sargodha University after every three months in proportion to its development.

He also said that a basic health unit would be established in the village of PEEF scholar Dr Muhammad Sabtain and directed him to inspect patients on every holiday at the facility.

He said the PEEF was the pioneering fund of Pakistan and the largest educational fund of South Asia, under which stipends worth Rs. 11.5 billion have been distributed among the deserving students of poor families.

The idea of setting up PEEF, the chief minister said, came into his mind during exile days, while studying the educational system of Saudi Arabia and the UK.  “While I was in Saudi Arabia, my Saudi driver told me that the educational expenses of his four kids are borne out by the Saudi government along with monthly stipend of 200 riyals for other expenses.”

“When we came to the country in 2007 after exile and the people of Punjab given us an opportunity to serve them under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif, I held the first meeting about this educational fund and established PEEF,” the chief minister recalled.

Shahbaz said the Metro projects would be launched in every district because quality and respectable transport is a right of every citizen.  He said, “To the political opponents – who criticise that Shahbaz Sharif only builds roads, bridges and metro buses – my reply is that all these projects are for the welfare of the common man.”

“The day is not far when the metro bus will also run in Sargodha, and the people would reach their destinations in a respectable manner,” he added.

The chief minister also inaugurated fountain house and inspected different departments. He met with patients and children and given gifts and sweets to them.  He said the treatment of psychiatric patients should be done properly as they deserved full attention.

Shahbaz expressed his satisfaction on the presence of educational, training and residential facilities for the patients. He promised construction of a separate ward for women with the support of Punjab government.