In-the-dock Sharifs bent on hurling threats: Imran

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday rejected Sharif family's claim that they have always faced accountability.

He said the government was attempting to create bottlenecks in the way of accountability that was being held for the first time in the Pakistan’s history.

"It is for the first time that they are facing accountability," said Khan while talking to the media.

He said with the beginning of the accountability process, the Sharif family have started hurling threats.

Commenting on Nehal Hashmi's outburst, which was seen as a threat to people involved in conducting probe into the Sharif family's financial dealings, Imran Khan said a rat would not become excited unless he had got support. "Threats are given by mafias not democrats.”  He said there were contradictions in the statements of Nawaz Sharif and his children except for Kalsoom Nawaz, who had spoken truth when she conceded that the flats in London were purchased in the 1990s. 

"And Nawaz too once spoke truth that nobody who indulges in corruption would stash his money in his own name. And Nawaz Sharif kept everything in his children’s name”. He claimed $10 billion had been sent abroad from Pakistan through money-laundering.

He said Supreme Court had aptly used mafia reference.

“It is my message for Nawaz Sharifs that it is not 1997 when you used to attack people”.

Imran Khan said he brought all his money through banking channels unlike the corrupt elements in the country, who launder billions of rupees abroad. “I brought my halal money to Pakistan and I have got all record which I have submitted with the Supreme Court.”

Responding to a question regarding Shahbaz Sharif’s legal notice to him, he said he was waiting for the Punjab chief minister to come to the court.

The former cricketer said the people of Pakistan had become conscious of the situation and he would bring them out on the streets.

He said: “Entire nation is waiting for the JIT report and the Sharif family would have no chance to run away to hide in Jeddah and London.”

The PTI chairman said the government wanted “Muk-Maka” (Give and take) over the cases being heard by courts. “The government has the intention to scarp cases against me if I withdraw cases against the ruling elite,” Imran said.

Imran alleged that rulers were using each and every negative tactic to bring the judiciary under pressure.