Panamagate scandal: Imran ramps up pressure for PM’s accountability

Refuses to let Panama Papers revelations die down; calls for independent NAB

MUZAFFARABAD: The war against corruption cannot be won without holding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif accountable and that it is imperative that accountability starts at the top.

This was stated by Imran Khan, chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), while addressing a public rally on Monday in Bagh, some 120 kilometres south-east of Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Imran has been headlining his party’s rally in the valley ahead of general elections there on July 21.

“We will not close the chapter of Panama Papers which revealed that Nawaz’s three children owned offshore companies,” Imran said.

He reiterated his call for starting accountability from the very top and dismissed arrest of low ranking officials as an eyewash. “The arrest of revenue officers will not end corruption in the country as it goes up with every passing year,” he added.

Imran accused the Sharif brothers of insincerity on ending corruption from the country, adding that in such a scenario a thief will never make another thief accountable.

“I will present myself for accountability when I come into power,” he said while taking a swipe at the Sharif brothers.

Imran went on to say that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) should be made independent.



“We do not need such a NAB which will exempt the ‘king of money laundering’ Ishaq Dar who has admitted through a 45-page affidavit that the prime minister was laundering money,” he said.

“At least $60 million of Asif Ali Zardari are in Swiss banks. Why are the Sharifs not trying to get that money back to the country?” he asked.

“In AJK, If PTI comes into power and Barrister Sultan becomes the prime minister of the region an independent and strong NAB would be our top priority,” he concluded.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19^th, 2016.