PM Imran is Pakistan’s Trump: Abbasi

Calls it irresponsible of premier to say army backs PTI’s manifesto

RAWALPINDI: Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said it is irresponsible of Prime Minister Imran Khan to say the Pakistan Army stands with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) manifesto as the military supports the government and not an individual party.

He made these comments while addressing a press conference outside the Rawalpindi Press Club on Wednesday, rebuking the federal government for adopting “undemocratic” measures of accountability.

Further slamming the government, Abbasi also said the government is being run by a pack of liars,. “Imran is the Trump of Pakistan,” he said taking a dig at the prime minister’s statement regarding a cabinet reshuffle in a recent interview. “Just as the US president fires his ministers, PM Imran also wants to do the same”.

“PTI government will bury itself under its own incompetence and the prime minister himself has hinted at mid-term elections,” he said stating mid-terms polls can take place in two situations either the government wants to gain more mandate or is finding a way to escape. “But given their current policies, PTI cannot gain more mandate therefore they are preparing to flee,” said the former premier adding the opposition has the option of in-house change but the government will itself fall.



Elaborating further, he accused the PTI-led government of “lying to the common man”. The former premier cautioned the government of continued inflation.  “Unless the government doesn’t clarify its economic policies, a looming threat of inflation shall remain upon a common man,” said Abbasi.

Meanwhile, talking about the ongoing accountability drive, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader said it must continue but shouldn’t be directed towards any individual or party adding, “apparently there is only one criminal in the country and that’s Nawaz Sharif,” he said alleging the former prime minister is being treated ‘unfairly’.

Citing Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, Abbasi stated “a 60-day-long physical remand for an opposition leader is undemocratic”. He further added no corruption charges have been proven against the Sharif brothers in court.

“We respect the decisions of the judiciary but lest comes a time when people come out on streets against the decisions of the courts,” he said adding the PML-N supremo and President Shehbaz Sharif both decided to go into the Parliament despite reservations on the election results.



Also talking about the issue of Public Accounts Committee chairmanship, the former prime minister said, in principle the PAC head should be the opposition leader but the government fears Shehbaz Sharif.

He was flanked by PML-N spokesperson Mariyum Aurangezeb who said the whole Sharif family is in a state of sadness after the death of Kulsoom Nawaz.