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PTI supremo Imran Khan has questioned deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif if he is conspiring against the country, its people, and the two ‘most trusted’ state institutions at the behest of some external enemy?
“By hitting the roads, Nawaz Sharif will try to exert pressure on the state institutions in a bid to secure himself another NRO-like favour. He wants to show the state institutions that public is with him,” Imran said while addressing a news conference at his Bani Gala residence a day ahead of a rally of the ruling PML-N.
He said when the PTI hit the streets thrice it was labelled anti-democracy every time. “Now, I ask you [Sharif] from where you got the green signal to speak the language of the enemy against our armed forces and judiciary.”
It was Imran’s first news conference after the controversy involving his alleged inappropriate text messages to party MNA Ayesha Gulalai surfaced on August 1. Imran preferred to avoid direct interaction with the media during the last six days.
“I want investigations into the issue but it should be in accordance with true parliamentary norms,” he said while criticising the government’s decision about formation of a parliamentary committee to probe into the matter.
“First, you hatch a conspiracy; take the matter to parliament yourself; form a panel comprising of our political opponents; and finally decide the case. It’s unprecedented in the history of Pakistan’s parliamentary democracy”.
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Asked if he would hand over his cell-phone during the investigations, Imran categorically said, “I have not accused anyone. It’s the responsibility of the accuser to justify his allegations through evidence.”
During his presser, Imran strongly criticised Sharif’s recent statements and political moves, including his scheduled ‘journey back to Lahore from Islamabad via GT Road’ after his disqualification.
“You [Sharif] were given ample chances to prove your innocence. But you failed miserably and cried foul in the end and dubbed it ‘greater conspiracy’ against your regime,” Imran said, adding that by spending public money the deposed PM would now try to portray through his scheduled Lahore travel that he has street power.
The PTI, he announced, would take out ten times more people to show the Sharifs that Pakistan was sick of corruption and ready to stand with the state institutions.
“The N-league has a golden moment to disengage and distance itself from a corrupt prime minister and a corrupt family otherwise it will sink with him,” Imran advised PML-N leaders, workers and supporters.
The PTI chief said Sharif’s recent statement were on purpose and tantamount to disgracing the army and judiciary.
Imran accuses Nawaz of undermining judiciary
He said NAB in the light of the SC judgment should file an appeal to reopen investigations into the Hudabiya Paper Mills case. He said the PTI had faith in further investigations through NAB courts against the Sharif family and an SC judge would oversee the whole process.
He said PML-N’s top leadership holds Iqama (work permits in Middle Eastern countries). “It’s not a mere permit of residence but an easy way to launder money”.
Criticising Jang/Geo group owner Mir Shakeelur Rehman, Imran once again appealed to countrymen to boycott the media group to teach him a lesson. “I respect working journalists and I know they have given many sacrifices. I know many people inside the Jang group who are sick of Mir Shakil’s policies and propaganda against judges and armed forces based on his financial interests.”
To a question, Imran said parliament should first be required to ascertain if Gulalai’s allegations against him were true as practiced in parliamentary democracies in such cases.
“In the British parliament there is a parliamentary commissioner who is impartial and who decides whether a case is genuine enough to be taken forward. If they found that there is something substantial, then it is forwarded for further proceedings,” Imran suggested, adding that instead the PML-N had formed a committee with all ruling party members.
Talking about Ayesha Ahad’s case, Imran said if the PML-N wanted justice, then it should not be for one woman but for both.
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