Bhimber electioneering: Imran takes a swipe at PML-N, JUI-F chiefs

PTI chief vows to introduce corruption-free governance in AJK if elected

MUZAFFARABAD: Imran Khan once again took aim at Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over his alleged corruption in financing assets abroad, saying the nation wanted answers while the premier was narrating stories.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman was speaking on Thursday at a pre-election rally in Bhimber, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where general elections are scheduled to be held next month.



The cricketer-turned-politician also took a swipe at his archrival Maulana Fazlur Rehman, recalling his oft-repeated associations with misappropriation on diesel-related affairs.

Imran said PM Nawaz had hired the services of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief, who only had a single mission in his life that was to get diesel permits. “Mian sb keep it in mind your days are numbered when people like Maulana come to rescue you,” he said.

He claimed the premier gave false statements in the National Assembly that his family had bought flats in London in 2005, whereas a UK court’s decision was solid evidence those flats were bought in 1998 and 1999.

In 1999, the PTI chief said, the UK court asked the Sharif family to clear its dues on their flats or it would be sealed. “Nawaz’s front man living in the US then paid $33 million to clear the arrears,” he added.



He said while the premier’s family was doing businesses in foreign countries, he was requesting overseas Pakistanis to come and invest in Pakistan.

Imran went on to say the rulers were pocketing the money acquired through loans. “Corruption is eating this country like termite,” he said. “Ten years ago every Pakistani owed Rs35,000 in foreign debt, which has now touched Rs1.2 million.”



He termed the current leadership a “slave of the IMF”, who were raising electricity tariff at the donor agency’s dictations to crush the common people. “The country needs to be purged of corruption and that is only possible with the power of votes,” he said.

Terming the Panama Papers a heavenly intervention, the PTI chairman said the leaks had not only exposed the Sharif family but other corrupt leaders of the world as well.

He alleged the PM had influenced NADRA, the election commission and the National Accountability Bureau to save his skin. In 2012, he added, Maryam Nawaz had said the family had no assets in any foreign country. “But the Panama Papers have exposed her as the owner of two offshore companies,” he said. “Pakistani rulers have no interest in the people.”



Imran said the PTI wanted to introduce corruption-free governance in AJK backed by a strong and independent acceptability bureau to develop public sector. “I assure the people of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, I will spend the entire public money on welfare when we come into power,” he promised.

“We have changed Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and now we have to change AJK through the devolution of power,” he said, elaborating on his plans for the region if his party wins the upcoming elections.

“Elected representatives will only make laws. The development funds will go directly to the union councils. The assembly members and ministers will have nothing to do with the development funds of AJK,” he said while talking about local governments.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2016.