Sharif wanted to turn army into Punjab police: PM

Premier says opposition tries to control ISI as it becomes aware of their corruption

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday fired a fresh salvo against former premier Nawaz Sharif, claiming that the PML-N supremo had ended up in a feud with every army chief because he wanted to “turn the military into Punjab police”.

Speaking at a ceremony organised by the Insaf Lawyers Forum in Islamabad, the premier also maintained that the opposition parties during their tenures in power were able to control all institutions with the exception of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which was aware about their corrupt activities.

“When they [opposition parties] come to power, they are able to control all institutions that are responsible for keeping a check and balance on the government with only one exception [ISI],” he added.

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“It [ISI] is aware of their corruption and they try to control it. That’s where the clash starts.”

The prime minister quoted former chief justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa as saying that all institutions in the country had been paralysed by politicians.

“The reason I don’t have a problem is that the ISI knows about my lifestyle.”

PM Imran said if he also indulged in corrupt activities and started laundering money out of the country, the ISI would be the first one to find out about it because it was the world's top agency.

Speaking about the opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) anti-government movement, the premier said all “unemployed” politicians had come together to try and save themselves.

“They can do whatever they want but they would be jailed if they break the law,” he warned.

“I say this to their [opposition] supporters. Take their money and even eat their Qeemay Kay Naan, but stay inside [instead of staging protests].”

The prime minister maintained that the country was at a tipping point and the decisions made today would either make or break Pakistan.

The premier reiterated that Sharif’s recent speeches against the military were propagating Indian agenda.

“It is India’s mission to put Pakistan on FATF’s blacklist because sanctions would be imposed on us. I assure you, if someone is carrying that agenda, it is him [Sharif],” the premier claimed.

“If the Pakistani military is weakened, the country will find itself in the same kind of turmoil that we see in other Muslim countries including Libya, Syria and Yemen.”

The premier spoke about Sharif’s claim that former ISI chief Zaheerul Islam had asked him to resign as the prime minister. Why did he (Zaheer) say that and why did you (Sharif) silently listen to it? It’s because Zaheerul Islam knew how much money you had looted.”

PM Imran also lashed out at PML-N leader Mohammad Zubair for comparing Sharif to late Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini.

“Khomeini was loved by his people. He led a simple life and owned a small house when he passed away. How can he [Khomeini] be compared with a person who has made property worth billions,” he added.

The premier said Sharif had not presented a single document to clarify his money trail while he, being a former cricketer, had shown all purchase contracts of his London flat bought some 40 years ago.

“In fact, they feel no shame in looting the money from public exchequer belonging to the poor people of this country,” he said, stressing that Pakistan could not prosper in the absence of rule of law, where rulers considered themselves above law and indulged in corruption.

He referred to an international report saying that around $1,000 billion were annually drained from the poor to rich countries through corruption and exploitation by the elite.

PM Imran said the rule of law was the basic principle of the State of Madina, and lawyers should follow such values during their professional duties and become future leaders by pursuing politics.

He announced that health cards would be introduced for medical treatment of lawyers and they would also be accommodated in the Naya Pakistan Housing Project.

Speaking on the occasion, ILF Chairman Barrister Syed Ali Zafar said lawyers had always stood by democracy and justice following the principles as championed by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

He added that the government of PM Imran was aware of the importance of people in a democracy and thus was following a people-centric approach in governance.

The premier said Sharif was not taking a stand for democracy and protecting his personal interests instead.

"I am democracy," he added. "I was elected after securing the highest number of votes in Pakistan and won from five constituencies."

(WITH INPUT FROM APP)