Hanif Abbasi’s arrest demonstrates independent judiciary: Imran

Says Shehbaz Sharif is scared to go to Adiala Jail

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday said that the conviction of former federal minister Hanif Abbasi in the ephedrine case demonstrates strong and independent judiciary.

Addressing a public rally in Lahore, the PTI chairman hailed the court’s decision and said that Abbasi was given a life sentence for selling drugs.

“He was caught seven years ago but finally he was convicted today,” said Imran. “The trial of the former minister proves that the powerful people in Pakistan always had means to escape justice, as in the past the judiciary was afraid of convicting such people, but now this is no longer the case as the judiciary has become powerful and independent.”

Khan said that he was convinced after Abbasi’s arrest that all the corrupt people will end in jail.  “We had leaders like Nawaz Sharif who is in jail for money laundering, Saad Rafique who is involved in the Paragon scandal and Khawaja Asif who is on a payroll of a Dubai-based company,” he added.

“Under the leadership of these corrupt people, how can this country progress,” he said and adding “On July 25 we need to change this by voting for the ideological people in order to put the country on the path of progress and restore its respect among the other countries.”

The PTI chairman said that the country cannot progress without putting the corrupt people in jail. He said that the western countries which are less resourceful than Pakistan have progressed due to their honest and competent leadership that spent the taxpayers’ money prudently.  “The western people trust their leadership and hence they pay their taxes without any second thought whereas in Pakistan people refuse to pay the taxes due to the trust deficit,” he added.

“Today another N-League leader is landing in Adiala Jail. Shehbaz Sharif is scared of Adiala Jail. He ditched his brother by wandering on roads and did not show up near Lahore airport on Nawaz Sharif’s return,” he said.

Khan asked the authorities to keep the two brothers in separate cells once Shehbaz land in Adiala Jail as there could be a brawl between them.