None from PTI related to any JIT member: Sarwar

Says his party never called for dissolving assemblies, but for PM to resign

LAHORE: Senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has clarified that no one from his party is affiliated with any members of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) that carried out a probe into the offshore properties of the ruling Sharif family.

Addressing party workers in Lahore on Thursday, Sarwar dismissed allegations that “a PTI member” Raja Asghar is a relative of JIT head Wajid Zia. He insisted that Raja was never ever a member of the PTI.



He found it “very strange” that the ruling family was avoiding the case instead of providing money trail to the court.

“I have been running a business in London since 1976 and ready to provide any record related to my business,” he said, adding that there should be no reason to conceal wealth and assets if made through legal means.

The PTI leader said the Panama case was quite simple, but the Sharif family made it complicated by not providing the money trail and documentary evidence. The case would have finished if the rulers had provided the money trail to the London properties, he said, adding that the rulers had no evidence in their defense. “Every day they open a new Pandora’s box in the Supreme Court,” he said.

Sarwar said the PTI never called for dissolution of the assemblies, but for the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He added that Nawaz should step down and appoint another prime minister from his party for the continuity of democratic rule in the country.

He said the PTI had always supported democracy, Constitution and justice in the country and would continue its struggle for a better and prosperous Pakistan.

He also alleged that National Bank of Pakistan President Saeed Ahmad had confessed before the JIT that he did not have the banking experience but was appointed on the instructions of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.



The PTI leader said that in the UK, one minister had to step down because he demanded undue favour for obtaining the visa for his maid. He said “it is for the very first time in Pakistan” that accountability process had begun and rulers were being investigated.

“The entire nation was standing behind the Supreme Court,” he told the party workers.