Federal govt can put Imran behind bars any time: Sharjeel

Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has said that former prime minister Imran Khan is now proven guilty in the eyes of the people of the country.

Speaking at a press conference at the Sindh Assembly’s auditorium on Thursday, he said the verdict recently announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) just remained short of punishing Imran Khan as otherwise, the ECP’s judgment contained the entire charge sheet and all wrongdoings committed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

He said that after the ECP’s verdict, PTI Chairman Imran Khan should be disqualified from contesting the elections and the PTI should be considered as a banned political party as per the constitution and law.

He was of the opinion that Khan and his cronies should be handed down at least seven-year imprisonment after the ECP’s verdict. He said the federal government could arrest Khan any time and put him behind the bars.

Memon said there was evidence that Khan had received funding from people involved in heinous crimes, including drug peddlers. The PTI violated the Pakistani law and constitution by receiving funds from foreigners and foreign companies, he added.

The information minister said the PTI had received funds from 34 foreigners. He opined that the federal government had been showing leniency in the case of Khan as otherwise, he did not deserve any relaxation.

Khan should not remain in politics anymore and he also did not have any valid reason to do agitation against national institutions, Memon said, adding that the former prime minister concealed 13 bank accounts.

Khan could not disown the bank accounts that were opened from his signature, he said. The PTI chairman also submitted false declarations to the national institutions, he added. The minister said the PTI in the past eight years had used all sorts of tactics including moving the courts to delay the adjudication of the foreign funding case. He said Khan should not get any preferential treatment as a politician. He alleged that the PTI chairman’s political agenda stood for promoting anarchy in the country. The former PM wanted the youth to take to the streets to cause bloodshed in the country, Memon alleged.