Imran asks SC to announce verdict in Panama case early

ISLAMABAD: The Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, on Wednesday made an appeal to the Supreme Court to announce the judgement in the Panama case early if possible, as the entire country was waiting for it.

Speaking at a media conference here, Imran charged he knew there would surely be much pressure on the judges by the Nawaz mafia: if he could be offered Rs10 billion, one could imagine, how much could be offered to others. “Nothing is happening, everything has stopped,” he noted.

“Everybody is waiting for the judgement. This is just a request that if possible, then announcement of the judgement should be made early. It is the need of time so that the country could move forward, as presently money is being used, instead of feeling shameful and regretful,” the PTI chairman contended.

Imran castigated the bids by the rulers, ministers and lustful journalists to draw a comparison between him and Nawaz Sharif, who was caught owning palaces in London worth billions. He lamented that how the two brothers would cut an innocent face, indulge in corruption and treat the nation with so much disdain.

He claimed to have shared all the details of the money trail of his London flat worth Rs6 million and how the Banigala property was purchased while, on the other hand, Hassan Nawaz could not produce the purchase deed of the London flats, valuing billions. He claimed that one flat of Hassan had worth of Rs6,500 million. He said Ishaq Dar, who used to roam about on a scooter, owned property of Rs1.5 billion while his two sons also owned multi-billion towers in Dubai. “A cricketer, who bought a flat with his sport earnings was being compared with those who looted Pakistan’s wealth and illegally transferred it abroad, and who have been plundering the national wealth for the last 30 years,” he charged.

Imran questioned what was wrong in buying a flat, as he was not alone and other Pakistani cricketers who played county cricket also owned flats. He wondered how a comparison could be made with those who looted the nation’s wealth and then resorted to money-laundering, produced fake documents and lied before the apex court.

He criticised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for leaving for the Maldives visit, while an act of terrorism hit Lahore. He said so many lives were lost and people were being martyred at the LoC and the economic situation was going from bad to worse.

The PTI chief went on to claim that so many countries had cancelled the invitations extended to Nawaz Sharif, as they knew criminal proceedings were underway against him.

“The whole nation, including political parties, lawyers, bar associations and even two provincial assemblies, are demanding the PM to step down over the shameful corruption charges levelled against him. It is ridiculous that that entire government ministers and government machinery have been the corruption of this family,” he noted.

Imran claimed the country was badly in need of a chief executive to take care of the national issues, while the ‘criminal prime minister’ and his family were trying to save themselves and cover up their corruption.

Replying to a question, he said there was no possibility of his disqualification but in case he was disqualified, this would be a very small price of getting the nation rid of a corrupt mafia. He again lashed out at the PML-N for their vile attempts to malign him and his party men in a bid to cover up their corruption. Imran noted that Nawaz Sharif and his henchmen were trying to prove every politician was corrupt instead of defending themselves.

Imran criticised Nawaz Sharif for what he called embarrassing the nation by holding a work visa for UAE while being PM of Pakistan. “The story doesn’t end here, the ‘notable’ members of his ‘Darbar’ are also having Iqamas like their leader,” he said.

Responding to a question, he said that party members Usman Dar and Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan were preparing for a case against Defence Minister Khawaja Asif for holding Iqama. He also made mention of Minister Ahsan Iqbal, for turning out to be yet another Iqama holder, whom he called pseudo-intellectual, who posed as a religious person. He said that PPP was doing a very good job following in the footsteps of his party.  

Asim Yasin adds: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah advised the PTI to avoid dictating the Supreme Court of Pakistan, saying that no one had the authority to dictate the apex court.

Talking to media persons here at the Parliament House, Khursheed Shah said the PTI cannot tell the apex court that who can be disqualified and who cannot be disqualified. He said the court cannot adopt double standards. He said the Supreme Court is a constitutional body, independent and prime institution of the country as well as one of the pillars of the state and the country’s system runs on the decisions of the courts. He said if the courts stop giving decisions and start taking dictations then the country’s and state system could not be run.

“I think this kind of statement can only be given in emotion, otherwise no one could give such statement,” he added. In a reply to a question regarding the petroleum crisis in the country, the opposition leader said it was due to the government’s incompetence. “I talked with the secretary Petroleum Ministry on this issue,” he said.

Khursheed said it will be better that the residents of Islamabad-Rawalpindi should use the bicycle for some days as donkey carts are not available in the capital. “If the crisis continued then it is possible that I will come to parliament on bicycle,” he said.