NAB saved Sharif family in Hudaibiya case: Imran

TANDO MOHAMMAD KHAN/KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had saved the Sharif family in the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case.

Imran was addressing a party rally in Tando Mohammad Khan on Friday hours after the Supreme Court gave its judgment in the disqualification case clearing the PTI chief's name while disqualifying PTI General Secretary Jahangir Tareen for life. Khan took a jibe at NAB and said the anti-graft watchdog submitted half-baked evidence to the apex court in the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case. Imran Khan said that the entire nation has its sight set upon the anti graft institution whether it catches the big fish or not.

Earlier, talking to the media in Karachi, Imran Khan stated he is disappointed by Jahangir Tareen's disqualification. The case was lodged against such a person who has not held public office for a single day, Khan said. Jahangir Tareen pays tax more than anyone else in Pakistan.

He also said the PTI would file for a review of the Supreme Court's judgment on Tareen, insisting it was based on a technicality. Imran said the Trust [on the basis of which he was disqualified] is in the name of his children. Compared to the Sharifs', Tareen conducted all his legitimate business in the country, Khan said. He added that the property, which was not under Tareen's name, did not benefit Tareen as it was taxed and had a proper money trail.

He said he withstood a year long judicial scrutiny into his assets and money trail and no other parliamentarian could bear such a complex accountability process. He said the case against him was filed by a [suspected] drug smuggler. He said that he presented 60 documents to the Supreme Court. The PTI chief claimed that ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif had to answer for taking out Rs300 billion from the country and only submitted a fake Qatari letter in his defence. He said it is a crime to compare criminals with honest people. "I was a cricketer who brought back money to the country while Nawaz is a money launderer," he claimed.

Imran Khan unleashed verbal onslaught against Nawaz Sharif and said the latter submitted forged Qatari letters in his defence. Khan said he is satisfied with the verdict because people trust him with their money for his charitable work and they now know that he is completely clean. He said he was happy because he had been cleared by the Supreme Court before the 2018 General Elections.

"I have to very sadly announce that Sindh and Balochistan lag far behind KP and Punjab," said Imran. He said the KP police are the best compared to the other provinces as it does not function under political influence.

Imran said that when his government is formed in Sindh, then the system of education will be improved. Answering a question about the aircraft he uses, Imran said the party pays when the aircraft is used by the party members.