Nawaz says knows nothing about source of money: Imran

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, Imran Khan, has said it was absolutely shameful that a thrice-elected prime minister declares in the Accountability Court that the Avenfield apartments belonged to his sons and he did not know where they got the money from.

He said Nawaz Sharif’s sons are living in Rs6 billion worth of flats in London and Nawaz Sharif had declared the source of income in the parliament, but now he is denying any knowledge of the source of money.

Imran tweeted on Monday, “absolutely shameful! A thrice-elected PM today declared before NAB court that the Avenfield Apts belonged to his sons and he didn't know where they got the money from! But as they are UK citizens, the law of Pakistan does not apply to them acc to NS! Qatari letter also disowned. After wasting two yrs in SC and the JIT as well as the taxpayer money, NS now finds an absurd way to justify his money laundering. This means anyone, like Dar, can park his kids abroad along with his looted wealth and simply say he doesn't know where his kids’ money came from!”

Earlier, the PTI rejected in categorical terms the names floated by Pakistan People’s Party for the slot of the caretaker prime minister. The PTI Central Secretary Information, Fawad Chaudhry, told a media conference that the PTI leadership unanimously rejected the names tabled by the PPP for the slot of caretaker prime minister. He pointed out, “Names of Zaka Ashraf and Jalil Abbas Jilani have been suggested by PPP, who are not acceptable to the PTI while Zaka Ashraf, being a close aide of Asif Zardari, is not suitable for the premiership."

Fawad conceded that Jalil Abbas Jilani is a seasoned bureaucrat but the names tabled by the PTI are surely more suitable in ensuring transparency in the upcoming general elections. He said the PTI suggested names of Justice (retd) Tassaduq Hussain Jilani, Ishrat Hussain and Abdur Razzaq Daud. “These names should be considered for a fair electoral process," he emphasised.

Fawad came down hard on the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for his statements in the accountability court earlier in the day and noted that Nawaz Sharif was given a questionnaire of 128 questions out of which, he vaguely answered 53 questions.

He alleged that Nawaz Sharif kept the tradition of speaking blatant lies. He said Nawaz Sharif's answers are nothing but a chain of lies and deceit. “Sharif family has miserably failed to prove the sources of their massive wealth and kept on misleading the nation and the relevant institutions for their financial wrongdoings”, he charged. He said Nawaz Sharif has failed to answer questions before the accountability court about the London properties, whereas he has talked about the London flats and Gulf Steel and later, expressed his ignorance about how they were acquired.

On this occasion, he categorically refuted the reports of forming any alliance with the Pakistan Muslim League-Q or any other party stating that the PTI would contest the forthcoming elections as the single largest and most popular party and would not make any alliance with any party.

About the UNDP report, he alleged that the PML-N goons tried to create an impression, by bringing forward an old report that the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government failed to deliver. “The report is of the period between 2005-2015”, he pointed out. Fawad contended that the PML-N and their sycophants are shamelessly comparing two years of PTI with the 10 years of PML-N government in Punjab. “We all should wait for UNDP’s latest report, which will show the performance of all the provincial governments”.

Meanwhile, sitting PPP MPA Dr Nadia Aziz and Qaumi Watan Party’s Khalid Khan joined the PTI in separate meetings with Imran Khan at the chairman’s secretariat, Bangala. Former MPA from Shujaabad Rana Sohail Noon is also among those who joined PTI. Senior PTI leader Jahangir Khan Tareen, President PTI North Punjab Amir Kiyani and provincial leader from KP Fazal Khan were also present in the meetings. The newcomers reposed confidence in the party and its leadership. Welcoming the new members into the PTI’s fold, the PTI chairman extended heartfelt wishes to them.