Boycotted Parliament session to prevent ruckus during Erdogan's address: Imran

PTI chairman says premier has become more dubious after his links with Qatari wealth are exposed

Justifying his decision of not attending Turkish President Recep Tayyib Erdogan's address to Parliament, chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has said he did so "to avoid a ruckus in the house".

"Our activists, especially those from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were agitated at the government's treatment toward them [during their attempt to reach the federal capital to stage a sit-in]," Imran told reporters in Islamabad on Thursday.

"Our boycott was in no way a boycott of the Turkish president as Turkey and Pakistan and people of the two countries have historic connections."



On Tuesday, the PTI upheld its earlier stance of not attending the joint session of Parliament, saying that attending the session would be equal to endorsing the premier.

Panamagate hearing

About the continuing hearing of the case on Panama Papers leaks, Imran said they were confident of an outcome as "the chief executive of the country was being held accountable for the first time".

“The court has said that there will be consequences if it is proved that the PM lied [regarding his assets].” “The court has pointed out that there are contradictions in three of his speeches, while the Qatari issue is still to be discussed."



Hitting back at PML-N leaders, Imran said nowhere in a democratic system do ministers defend a serving prime minister. “Why are these ministers defending the Sharif family that is facing a case of corruption,” he questioned. Nawaz Sharif has been leveled with allegations more serious than those leveled against former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani, Imran added.

 

Earlier on Thursday, PML-N leaders Khawaja Saad Rafique, Danial Aziz and Abid Sher Ali claimed that the PTI had failed to defend the documents in the court that they presented as evidence. The leaders also criticised Imran for boycotting the joint parliamentary session.

During the hearing, the PM in his response claimed that PTI’s evidences against him were baseless. The premier told the court that the PTI chairman had not produced solid evidences, saying that all petitions must be dismissed.