‘Chamber’ of Imran empty, has germs like Hitler: Shahbaz

LAHORE: PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif has said the ‘chamber’ of Prime Minister Imran Khan is empty and has all the germs like Hitler.

He alleged Prime Minister Imran Khan is playing with the life of senior PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah, recently arrested for possessing narcotics, by not allowing him access to his life saving drugs in the jail.

“I warn that Prime Minister Imran Khan will be held responsible if anything happens to Rana Sanaullah,” he said while addressing a press conference at the Party Secretariat on Wednesday, his second within 24 hours.

Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif accused the PM of targeting Rana Sanaullah out of personal grudge and said a baseless narcotics case was made against the senior leader that showed the PTI government’s desperation to silence one of their worst critics after failure in getting anything worthwhile from the Anti-Corruption Department and the National Accountability Bureau against him.

Flanked by former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and family members of Rana Sanaullah, Shahbaz accused the PM of having personally issued directives to the Director General Anti-Corruption Department to form a case sometimes back but he failed to bring anything. After failing to get anything substantial against Rana Sanaullah from the Anti-Corruption Department and the NAB, the PM played the role of a petty police informant by sounding a fake alert of drug trafficking to book Rana Sanaullah in a narcotics case. He said the entire party was with Rana Sanaullah and his family during this testing time. He asked the prime minister if it was the real concept of his much-propagated New Pakistan where political opponents were kept in jail on fake charges with petty criminals and a senior politician (Rana Sanaullah) had been deliberately deprived of medicines required to save his life and basic facilities like clean drinking water and meals.

“Rana Sanaullah has recently undergone cardiac surgery. Clots in right eye have also affected his eyesight. Heavy dose of medicines usually caused him to sleep even during party meetings. The authorities should ensure provision of necessary medicines and basic facilities”, Shahbaz said, adding that the PM would be directly responsible for any unfortunate happening to Rana Sanaullah if basic facilities and necessary medicines were not given to him. He alleged that the PM was personally targeting the Sharif family and other PML-N leadership by misusing state machinery and institutions.

He said: “My brother and son are in the custody. Top PML-N leaders are facing false and fabricated cases”. He said the PML-N was facing worst victimization in the country’s history for raising voice for the oppressed people suffering under price hike unleashed by an IMF-prepared budget and were unable to survive. “People are committing mass suicides as they are unable to make both ends meet under the present flood of price hike,” he said, adding that he and his party would continue raising voice against the wrong policies of the government that had made the life of the common man worse than hell. “Instead of labeling politicians as looters and corrupt,” he said, “it would have been better for Imran Niazi to utilize all energies for ending poverty and unemployment.” He said the PML-N would never give up the cause of poor people against the massive price hike unleashed by the anti-people budget. He accused Imran Khan of promoting family corruption to new heights, and smartly covered up the huge properties of his sister Aleema Khan.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the FIR against Rana Sanaullah was a big joke. “He (Rana Sanaullah) is a seasoned and committed politician, and has bravely faced dictatorship of Gen Zia and Gen Musharaf. Such tactics would fail to silence him.” He said people could see allegations against the Sharif family and the PML-N leadership. He claimed there was not a single allegation of corruption.

Rana Sheharyar, son-in-law of Rana Sanaullah, said life saving medicines and dietary meals sent to jail on the previous day had been returned from the authorities. He said there was not even a ceiling fan and bulb in the cell where Rana Sanaullah was kept.

Meanwhile, PML-N spokeswoman Marriyum Aurangzeb condemning depriving Rana Sanaullah of medicine and food said if anything bad happened to him, Prime Minister Imran Khan will be responsible.

In her statement to media, she said: “Imran Khan, you are playing with the life of Rana Sanaullah and if anything bad happens to him, the premier will be responsible.” She said Rana Sanaullah was a patient of heart and diabetes and other ailments. She demanded that the government provide medicines and food to Rana Sanaullah in jail.