If Sharifs do not accept SC’s decision, we’ll make them do it: Imran

Says Zardari’s dry cleaning is extremely difficult

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan has again asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step down till the time the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) completes the probe into the Panama Leaks case.

He said the ruling party, after failing to manage the JIT, has launched constant attacks on this forum to make it controversial. Talking to the media here outside his Bani Gala residence on the occasion of formal joining of another PPP senior leader Imtiaz Safdar Warraich, Imran said how would they Supreme Court judgement and vowed to bring  a sea of people in support of the apex court.

PTI chairman said they had witnessed a strange ‘tamasha’ Thursday, when Nawaz waved on the occasion of appearing before JIT, as if he was doing great favour. Imran recalled that US President Richard Nixon had to go home after causing obstruction to justice. He alleged similarly, Nawaz and  the Motu gang were trying to influence the JIT and exert pressure on it and make the forum controversial. 

He held out an assurance to the Supreme Court and JIT that the entire nation was standing by them and they need not to worry. Imran claimed Nawaz faced four allegations: corruption, concealment of assets, money laundering and tax evasion.

According to a global definition, he pointed out, it was corruption to take benefits after coming to power and charged there had been increase in the number of Sharif family’s factories after Nawaz became prime minister. 

The PTI chairman emphasised that simple answers were needed from Nawaz about the money trail. He said the Qatari prince was required to provide banking transactions in support of his letter. He said the letter was a fraud.

He challenged Nawaz to declare he did not indulge in money laundering after placing his hand on the heads of his children. He pointed out there was no mention of any Qatari letter for eight months after the Panama Papers revelations and even during Nawaz’s speech in the National Assembly (NA) but all of a sudden, it came after they failed to produce evidence to prove money trial of how London flats were bought. “The cock and bull story would not do,” he said and called for sharing the money trial.

Ridiculing the PML-N leaders’ statements that people would not accept any decision against the elected Prime Minister, he wondered had he been given mandate for money laundering. He recalled how sweets were distributed when JIT was being formed and now the same was being attacked and criticised.

Imran asserted that previously, there had never been accountability of Nawaz Sharif. He said when the process of accountibility started during Musharraf rule, Nawaz left Pakistan after signing an NRO. 

He noted that as per an international report, $10 billion was being money-laundered from Pakistan, leading to obtaining of more foreign loans and this was adding to poverty in Pakistan.

Asked when former President Asif Zardari will be brought to PTI, Imran quipped saying Zardari’s dry cleaning was extremely difficult. 

Imran claimed he was targeted for bringing his honestly-earned money to Pakistan and said the details of transaction, provided by his ex-spouse Jemima was with the Supreme Court. He was hopeful the national cricket team would win the Champions Trophy by playing extremely well. 

Imran welcomed Waraich in the party, who has been among the PPP’s senior members and is regarded as a veteran politician and a party stalwart. A lawyer by profession, Warraich served as the Gujranwala District Bar Association general secretary and also served as the director of the Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank Limited and was a federal minister in former premier Benazir Bhutto’s second government.

He was twice elected as an MNA, in 2002 and 2008, from NA-98, his home constituency in Gujranwala; and as MPA for the Punjab Assembly in 1993. After his win in 2008 elections, Warraich served as state minister for communication during PPP rule. 

Meanwhile, Naeemul Haq, a senior PTI leader, has reacted strongly to the asset details, shared with the Election Commission of Pakistan by the Prime Minister and said these were simply ridiculous, as his actual assets were many times more than, mentioned in his asset documents.

Haq said one might have to wait for another ‘leaks’ to know the exact details about the assets of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. “Still, there are assets worth billions in the name of his mother, children, relatives and other people,” he claimed.

PTI leader contended that the basic difference between Imran and Nawaz was of being honest and a liar and claimed the nation would soon learn about the entire lie.