Imran reiterates resolve to 'hold everyone accountable'

PM says 'union of corrupt' getting united in name of protecting democracy

DG KHAN: Prime Minister Imran Khan has reiterated that the political groups uniting in the name of democracy actually want to hide their corruption but he would hold 'everyone accountable'.

"When a powerful thief is caught they [political parties] all gather in parliament crying that democracy is in danger. They turn a thief into Nelson Mandela. But now everyone will be held accountable. The 'union of corrupt' is getting united in the country in the name of protecting democracy," Khan said on Friday.

The PM was addressing a ceremony to inaugurate the Insaf Sehat Card in Punjab's Rajanpur district. He was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid.

Khan recalled that when he was put in the DG Khan Jail for 8 days during General Pervez Musharraf's era, he only saw poor people languishing in jail. "But when I entered assembly, I saw big powerful thieves," he said, adding that there are separate laws for the powerful and the weak.

The PM also referred to a Hadith and said the nations with different justice systems for the rich and the poor face destruction. He said he himself faced accountability as he defended himself in the Supreme Court for one year against allegations of wrongdoing.

"I furnished 60 documents which were up to 40-year-old instead of saying that I was playing cricket at that time. I presented myself for accountability as a public representative. When I presented 60 documents I had said that I would resign even if one document is proved wrong," he said.

However, the former premier Nawaz Sharif, Khan claimed, could not defend his family's London flats.

"They failed to give even one document and they were caught in a lie. They cannot defend their flats because they said the flat were bought in 2006 but in reality they were purchased in 1993."

Talking with reference to lack of previous government's will to address the issues in health sector, he said the three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif asked be treated abroad when he got unwell in jail.

"There was no hospital in Pakistan to treat Nawaz and [his brother] Shehbaz Sharif and [former finance minister] Ishaq Dar. They stayed in power for many years but they go abroad for treatment," he added.

He claimed that when Nawaz Sharif was the prime minister, he spent Rs280 million on his treatment abroad.  "Which country allows rulers to go abroad for treatment while the public gets treatment at government hospitals?" he asked.

The PM said the state of government hospitals should be such that rulers, ministers and the public all could avail quality treatment but the system of the government hospitals has been destroyed.

He also criticised the 1970's nationalisation policy and said that policy hurt institutions. "Organisation cannot function if there is no system for punishment and reward. That is why no one wants to get treatment from a government hospital," he said.

Addressing himself to CM Punjab Usman Buzdar, Imran Khan asked him not to be detracted by those running a campaign against him. "Usman Buzdar knows the real condition of hospitals and schools. He feels for the public and this is the reason he has been brought," Khan said.

Imran Khan said the state of government hospitals in Punjab will be improved so that better treatment can be provided to the poor. He told Punjab health minister and the federal minister for health that conditions of government hospitals of Islamabad and Rawalpindi were pitiful.

The ceremony was also addressed by FM Qureshi, Punjab CM and Dr Yasmin Rashid. Imran Khan also distributed Sehat Insaf Card among the deserving people.

[WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP]