Pakistan

Panama leaks: PM Nawaz should be held accountable before others, says Imran

PM won't 'go home' but jail if proven guilty of wrongdoing, says PTI chairman

Ali Usman/news Desk May 01, 2016

Imran Khan addresses PTI political rally in Lahore on May 1, 2016. PHOTO PTI

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif should present himself and his family for accountability before anyone else.

“First of all your accountability will be done, Nawaz Sharif. After that hold me and all of PTI accountable,” he said, while addressing the party's anti-corruption rally in Lahore on Sunday.

“We have framed Terms of References (TORs) for inquiry in the wake of Panama Papers but we will first take opposition on-board. There should be an independent commission under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan."

‘Misuse of public money’: PTI to move NAB against PM’s media cell

Imran asked PM Nawaz to respond to people’s questions on his assets.

“Just declare all your assets and people will be satisfied. All it takes to do so is a 30-minute press conference,” he said. “In a democracy, leader has to be accountable before people."

He added, "According to Mian Sb, he would resign if proven guilty but [this time] 'he wouldn’t go home but jail'."

Mian Sab says if this proven I will go home. Mian Sab you will not go home you will go to jail #LahoreRisesAgainstCorruption
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 1, 2016

The PTI chairman reiterated his demand of PM’s resignation, saying he “did not have any moral authority to keep ruling the country after Panama Papers accusations”.

Earlier on Saturday, Imran had announced to move the National Accountability Bureau against Prime Minister’s media cell for advertising against his party with public money.

Talking to media, the PTI chief had alleged the cell was being controlled by prime minister’s daughter Maryam Nawaz and its only purpose was to hide corruption of Sharif family in the wake of Panama leaks.

Accountability should start with PM, says Imran

Among those named in Panama Papers are three of Sharif’s four children — Maryam, who has been tipped to be his political successor; Hasan and Hussain, with the records showing they owned London real estate through offshore companies administrated by the firm.

Amid the controversy, the government announced a broad-based, open-ended inquiry to determine wrongdoings of all Pakistanis owning such holdings.

It also requested the Supreme Court to form a panel of judges to investigate the Panama leaks.

Imran hails labourers, peasants on May Day

Lauding the hard work done by the workers in the country, the PTI chairman took a strong stand against privatisation, saying he would work on improving the status of workers in ‘Naya Pakistan’.

“I want to give message to labourers that we will elevate their status not because we need votes but because of humanity,” he said.

In Naya Pakistan we will lift labour class not for votes but 4 humanity. We will adhere to int. conventions #LahoreRisesAgainstCorruption
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 1, 2016

Our labourers are in a bad state.It is humanity to lift the labour class out of poverty. This is our duty #LahoreRisesAgainstCorruption
— PTI (@PTIofficial) May 1, 2016

“I want to promise we will bring good management in public sector companies, and will not privatise them… we will not let the plundering of the public sector companies take place.”

COMMENTS (18)

Haji saab | 8 years ago | Reply Shocked with some of the comments above and the mindset of some people, these are very serious allegations against the PM, surely he needs to take the lead and prove these wrong.

Sam | 8 years ago | Reply Don't understand the nonsense around who should go first and who after. Surely the strategy IK "the greatest" & rest of opposition will come up with will involve dealing with ALL involved. Unless of course, he's only after the PM to get the PM seat. :)

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Azi | 8 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad: Why before others? Because NS is the "elected" leader running the country. A famous saying is," The fish starts rotting from the top." He has even offered to has himself accounted along with NS simultaneously. Once the big fish is in the net, it will start a chain enabling the NAB that currently has no courage to catch the little onea to do it's intended job.

Parvez | 8 years ago | Reply Obviously.....he is the head of government and his family are involved, so it is logical that he should be be answerable first.

zubair | 8 years ago | Reply It is really that simple: when the very person on top is corrupt then corruption start eating its way into lower cadres like cancer until the whole society is destroyed. Therefore cleansing process must start from the person at top in this case it is none other than the PM of this country.

sabi | 8 years ago | Reply His supporters argue that his hands are empty but they forget that his head is also empty how can he be given the portfolio of prime minister.

sabi | 8 years ago | Reply He calls true soldiers of Pakistan army traitors and losers for defending Pakistan against Taliban (that's on record) and calls black sheep ( if any! ) in the army to come forward role back democracy and accept Taliban demands ultimately make Pakistan a theocratic state where he would be the king. True soldiers of this soil have foiled this great conspiracy against Pakistan leaving him and his companions like an orphan on street. Shame on this man.

pervaiz | 8 years ago | Reply IK who had addressing meetings of millions Minar e Pakistan in Past and now address to people of 10-12 thousand. Think about this whether he is going up or down, pls answer with as honestly as you think IK an honest man.

Faisal | 8 years ago | Reply Sorry, mr.Khan, everyone know your evil intentions for the chair. Let me remind you this is not iraq or syria, this is Pakistan and we would not do any thing that will harm our nation. Go and do whatever you want you are blind and duff.

Ahmed Ali khan | 8 years ago | Reply Nawab sharif media cell at work in the comments section of every news related to NS. Et stop being biased on not printing comments against nawab sharif.

OSD | 8 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad: excellent question! Why is everything only aimed at getting the PM to resign? And I mean everything! All other corruption are acts of lesser evil. All other types of damages to the nation are of no importance. In his haste, IK has even found pleasant words for Zardari. If anything, it's all about getting the chair and letting Pakistan burn if it will get him that!

Imran Qadri | 8 years ago | Reply His use of charity for politics and the politics for charity are both questionable. His donation collection galas worldwide should be subject to serious scrutiny as both his funding for his hospital empire and political funding(for destabilizing Pakistan through so called "movements") are so much intermingled that its hard to differentiate between the two and should be properly investigated. Pakistani public should know who funded his 2014 sit-in which costed Pakistan dearly and lead to CPEC's launch being delayed and development process being slowed down. World Bank has already warned that politicking and political instability will hurt game changing CPEC's implementation and Pakistan might miss its development targets. Obviously all that won't affect Imran Khan and he would continue to look towards shortcut and third umpire's finger being raised but due to his misguided habit of agitation on every issue only Pakistani public will suffer.

Imran Qadri | 8 years ago | Reply One of PTI's founding member since early days have accused PTI of money laundering and illegal foreign funding. Imran Khan on the other hand continue to resist his moves and insists that no one have the right to demand scrutiny of his party’s account and foreign funding. This PTI member was sidelined by the PTI chairman after he identified alleged money laundering and concealment of foreign funds. Only YOU have right to blackmail a sitting government on every issue and launch a "movement" for your own selfish reasons and start daydreaming about becoming PM through illegal and unconstitutional route.

shah | 8 years ago | Reply Imran Khan today speech was amazing , he really represent himself as a leader of the nation, his speech was totally based on truth, and he speak during his speech from the core of his heart, he totally exposed the ruling class, who making billion while the poor is getting hardly two times of food, may Allah succeed him in his mission

zack | 8 years ago | Reply He is against privatization too. What an idiot. IK if nothing but an anarchist and wants to be PM anyway that he can.

Do you Know?? | 8 years ago | Reply Do you know how much corruption your MPAs and Govt. is doing or directly or indirectly involved in... the innocent public are silent because of political pressure and threat. Stop playing with the innocent people emotion.....understand.

Malik Saab | 8 years ago | Reply More than 400 Pakistanis are in the list. Mr Jehangir Tareen's family and Aleem Khan's family have now accepted to have offshore companies. But Imran Khan is blind. He only see one person and that is all. It is more like a personal animosity of Nawaz Sharif, rather a call for across the board accountability. Imran Khan is infact protecting the other corrupt individuals by trying hard to focus on one individual and disregarding others.

Ch. Allah Daad | 8 years ago | Reply Why before others, why not with others? All corrupt, anarchists, fake revolutionary thugs, traitors, terrorists and their supporters and those who abrogated constitution should be prosecuted at the same time.

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