Imran says ‘NRO-II’ being doled out to ‘thieves’

Asks party leaders to remain prepared for protest call as ‘movement enters decisive phase’

ISLAMABAD:

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that “thieves” have taken over the country and were now getting relief in corruption cases under “NRO-II”.

Addressing the women's convention in Islamabad on Friday, the former prime minister said that he was not doing politics but waging ‘jihad’ to achieve ‘real freedom' for the country’s better future.

Referring to the amendments to the NAB law, Imran said societies are destroyed without the rule of law. “Thieves have taken over the country. Every day their cases are being shut,” he remarked.

Imran further said that the poor should be released from jails if the powerful cannot be brought under the law. “What is the fault of the poor? The likes of Zardaris and Sharifs are sitting everywhere in poor countries where there is no rule of law,” he added.

Separately, he also chaired a meeting of PTI’s senators in Islamabad where he expressed concerns over the NAB amendments.

Following the amendments to the NAB law, the accountability courts, where once the most powerful people stood trial, have started returning corruption references to the NAB chairman as the accused could no longer be tried because the courts lack pecuniary jurisdiction in the cases.

Imran while addressing the participants of the meeting said the incumbent rulers have made a mockery of the accountability system by giving themselves “NRO-II” in corruption cases worth Rs1,100 billion.

He reiterated that the “thriving economy” was thrown into a tailspin by toppling his government through a vote of no-confidence.

Imran said uncertainty is a “deadly poison” for the economy which he said can only be neutralised with the announcement of early elections. Millions of Pakistanis in the country are reeling under disasters like floods whereas “the crime minister [PM Shehbaz Sharif] and the ministers are wasting the nation's money on luxury trips”.

Calling upon the party leaders to remain prepared, Imran said his struggle for ‘real freedom’ has entered the decisive phase and he will soon give call for protest.