Mashhood terms Asif allegations baseless

LAHORE
Provincial Minister for Education Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan has said the allegation levelled by former President Asif Ali Zardari against him is wrong and baseless. He said his past and present remained corruption-free; former president Asif Ali Zardari, before levelling allegation against him, should have asked his Interior Minister Rehman Malik who constituted JIT for investigation which, after investigation, had declared the allegations wrong and controversial video clip fake. Rana Mashhood said that later, the opponents appealed in the High Court and the court had also declared him innocent by rejecting the appeal after hearing the case. He said that High Court had also declared video clip concocted.
Talking to media outside Punjab Assembly Tuesday, he said he had already shared facts of the case with the people through media in the light of the record of High Court and FIA in 2014. He said the statement of Asif Ali Zardari had mentally disturbed him as he had always done the politics based on principles. He said political victimisation in the present situation was unthinkable. He said Pakistan could not afford political confrontation of 90s. He said the PML-N leadership was making efforts to purge the country of corruption, terrorism and lawlessness. The minister said the government was in favour of taking action against the persons involved in corruption whether they belonged to Punjab or any other province. He said that we want to put the country on road to progress and stability with the cooperation of all political parties and groups. He said Asif Ali Zardari was the head of a big political party; therefore, it did not behove him to interfere with the campaign against the corruption and other embezzlement. He said his hands were clean, he belonged to middle class and his political leadership was fully aware of his innocence after inquiry into this matter through a committee.