No corruption case against PM: Marriyum

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Thursday the case against the prime minister was not based on corruption charges rather it reflected lust for power by certain elements.

She said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would fight till the last to uphold the sanctity of the mandate given to him by the people of Pakistan. She said the opponents had leveled allegations of corruption, money laundering and concealment of assets but during the proceedings, it had not been proved that prime minister had committed no corruption, no money laundering and did not conceal the assets. She said the prime minister presented himself and his whole family for accountability and had presented the accountability of the last 40 or 50 years.

Talking to newsmen outside the Supreme Court premises in Islamabad on Thursday, she said that those hatching conspiracies would not succeed.The minister said that the prime minister was contesting the case for the supremacy of law and the Constitution by presenting his entire family for accountability.

She said there was no allegation or case of corruption or misuse of authority against the prime minister. It was a case linked to the progress and prosperity of the country, implementation of the CPEC, mandate of the electorate and elimination of terrorism.

Marriyum Aurangzeb said that some people wanted to use clutches of the court to get to the corridors of power but they would not succeed.

She said reservations of the Sharif family about the JIT still existed. The Sharif family had submitted verified and attested documents before the court but the JIT had relied on a private firm. She emphasised that efforts were being made every day to find evidence against the PM but to no avail.

“We are hopeful that the court will dismiss the petitions filed by those who just want to create a circus,” the minister said. Lashing out at the Pakisan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan, Ms Aurangzeb said she had serious doubts about the former cricketer-turned-politician’s mental balance.

“He tries to mislead the Pakistani nation every day,” she said. “Khan is the one who took help from the Jewish and Indian lobby to obtain funding for the PTI,” she said.The minister reiterated that there was no proof of corruption against Shahbaz Sharif in any public project adding that the Sharif family presented records of 50 years to clear its name from false allegations.

“The Pakistani nation and the Supreme Court will dismiss those insulting the court and institutions,” she said. Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said that some elements could not gain power through political struggle and wanted to have a walk over through courts. He said the prime minister was busy implementing his agenda of development as pledged during election campaign. The minister said that the prime minister would emerge victorious in the legal battle.

PML-N leader Muhammad Talal Chaudhry said they had already won the case as there was no evidence of any corruption or misuse of power against the prime minister. He said the headlines published in newspapers on Thursday had satisfied the masses that no corruption had been proved against the prime minister.

The PML-N leaders demanded accountability of PTI chairman and said their opponents had used the Panama case as a political gimmick.PML-N leader Daniyal Aziz said that no action had yet been taken against the formation of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) against Imran Khan.

“Imran Khan is a fugitive from ATC. No JIT has yet been formed against him despite requests,” he said.He asserted that the case of SSP Asmatullah Junejo torture was being distorted through various excuses. Aziz notified that 40-50 people had still not been identified in the case. “Record was summoned from Pemra regarding those unidentified people but only one CD was provided,” he said.

Daniyal Aziz demanded formation of a judicial commission or formation of a parliamentary committee to inquire into the case. He said that the opponents had failed to prove any allegations against the prime minister or his children.

He said the opponents were resorting to a propaganda campaign and media trial to malign the PML-N before the next general elections but they could not hoodwink the masses.Abid Sher Ali said that Imran studied in Oxford by money earned through corruption. “His (Imran Khan) father laid foundation of corruption in Pakistan. “Imran Khan is a certified thief. All his properties including Banigala have been made through corruption money,” he said.

Abid Sher Ali questioned, “Under which standard Imran Khan is demanding accountability from the Sharif family. He should be the one being held accountable for his corruption. Our leadership has been giving account of himself for the past 40 years.”

PML-N leader Maiza Hameed said that the Imran Khan used foreign funding to stage sit-ins to destabilise the country.She said Imran Khan has no money trail for the Banigala residence. Maiza Hameed insisted that Imran Khan should demonstrate courage and also present himself for accountability.