Nawaz appealing to international establishment to save himself, says Imran

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday alleged former premier Nawaz Sharif was making an appeal to the international establishment to help him get an NRO and save himself from being jailed. He called for action against Nawaz under Article 6 of the Constitution.

Imran was talking to journalists here after chairing a hurriedly-called party meeting on the recent interview of Nawaz. The PTI chief noted that India was presenting Nawaz's show as if Pakistan army was behind terrorist attacks inside India.

Both Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif should resign for supporting Nawaz on his statement, he said. He noted that celebrations were held in India after the statement by PML-N’s lifetime quaid, as New Delhi had always accused Pakistan of sending militants to India. Imran added Nawaz statement had helped India considerably.

Israeli and Indian lobbies, he pointed out, were busy conspiring against Pakistan with an identical narrative while Nawaz statement had merely helped Indian stance. PTI chairman asked why Nawaz had not ordered investigations into this matter and if he faced any obstacle, why he did not reveal it earlier. He charged that Prime Minister Abbasi and Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif and their friends were siding with Nawaz for their own interests.

Through Dawnleaks, he claimed, Nawaz had sought help from the international establishment. He added the state institutions should probe the businesses, owned by Nawaz sons, so that their links with Indian business tycoons could be exposed, as these could endanger Pakistan’s security.

The PTI chairman called for initiation of proceedings against Nawaz under Article 6 of the Constitution. He lamented while PML-N was trying to issue clarifications on his statement, Nawaz stood by his words.

Imran demanded Nawaz be put on the Exit Control List (ECL) as he might try to make a deal to flee Pakistan. As Nawaz violated his oath, he should be proceeded against under Article 6 of the Constitution, he said. He added Nawaz also damaged the national interests. He demanded that PM Abbasi and Shahbaz Sharif should resign.

He asked, "Is PML-N a political party? A party is formed on an ideological basis. Parties remove leaders when they prove to be a burden for them." He wondered would the prime minister do anything regarding the Nawaz statement.

Imran remarked, “The deposed PM is appealing to international establishment to save himself from going to jail and it is evident that Dawnleaks and recent statement of Nawaz are nothing but a vicious attempt to malign armed forces of Pakistan.” “All Nawaz had to do was to prove where his money is coming from. He couldn’t do so and started attacks at institutions,” said the PTI chairman.

He said an ideology is the cornerstone of a political party, but unfortunately PML-N lacked ideology. “Entire PML-N is a gang of crooks, this mafia has entangled the country in their vicious traps of corruption and nepotism,” he said.

Imran maintained that he himself had criticised the armed forces for the mistakes in the past. “We need to understand the on-going dynamics and should support our armed forces shoulder to shoulder,” he added and emphasised that an international conspiracy to isolate Pakistran was being hatched.

“We need to stay firm and learn from the fate of other Muslim countries which were deteriorated and have been pushed to the never ending political, social, economic and administrative crisis,” Imran contended.