PM Nawaz takes jibe at Imran Khan, says liars cannot lead Pakistan

PM says those holding the sit-ins want to plunge this country to 18-hour power outages

In a veiled reference to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday said liars and those who insult others publicly cannot lead the Pakistani nation.

“Our rivals are finding it hard to digest that Pakistan is on the road to prosperity and they want to push the country 50 years back,” the premier said while addressing a public meeting in Narh, Kahuta.

“The people who shown to the people that they are a sober and sagacious nation and people who lie consistently cannot be your leaders,” the PM added.



“We are not scared of any sort of sit-ins and people need to know who is behind the unavailability of electricity to the masses,” the PM said adding “our opponents want to somehow halt the process of development in this country.

The PTI chairman accuses the premier of embezzling money through Sharif family's offshore accounts as exposed by Panama Papers leaks. Imran has asked the PM to either return the 'looted' money to the exchequer or step down from his position. The PTI called off its planned November 2 lockdown of the federal capital following the apex court’s decision to form a judicial commission to probe the premier’s alleged offshore wealth as exposed by Panama Papers leaks in April this year.

Earlier on Thursday, the premier denied holding offshore companies in a written response to the Supreme Court on Panamagate petitions. In his reply, the PM said he had declared all his assets in 2013, hence was not liable for disqualification under Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution.



The apex court gave an ultimatum to the premier’s three children to respond to the notices served regarding the investigation of Panama Leaks. A five-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali expressed displeasure over the failure of Sharif family’s counsel to submit a reply on behalf of Maryam, Hussain and Hassan.

On November 1, the SC asked Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to submit their Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the formation of a commission to probe the Panama Papers leaks.