Never seen a liar like Imran: PM

Shehbaz says ex-premier constantly hatching conspiracies against the nation and institutions

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday claimed that he had never seen a “liar” like former premier Imran Khan in his life, saying that his contradictory statements about having all the power to make decisions while being the chief executive of the country and after his ouster allegations that someone else called the shots was just an example.

The PM while addressing Mufti Mehmood Conference in the capital accused the former premier of telling lies from dawn till dusk, levelling allegations against his opponents and constantly hatching conspiracies against the nation and institutions.

“A bigger fraudster than him [Imran] has not been born in the world,” the premier said.

Referring to ex-premier Imran’s habit of showing videos of his opponents in his rallies, PM Shehbaz said that Imran’s statements don’t make sense as he goes on to say that Germany and Japan share a border – Germany is thousands of kilometres away from Japan, which is an island and has no land borders with any country.

PM Shehbaz recalled that Imran used to say that he was powerful, took all the decisions without facing any hindrance and he had “complete support of (COAS) Gen Bajwa and the army” while being the chief executive of the country.

However, PM Shehbaz said, now Imran says that someone else used to call the shots.

“If you were not allowed to take decisions then what were you doing for the almost four years,” PM Shehbaz said while emphasising that Imran used to boast that he was the one taking all the decisions and never faced any problems.

“I haven’t seen such a liar in my life,” PM Shehbaz said, making the Jinnah Convention Centre’s packed hall a witness to his statement.

He reiterated that the world hasn’t seen a “bigger fraudster” than Imran.
PM said that Mufti Mehmood always promoted dialogue despite having a difference of opinion with his opponents, adding that dialogue was the need of the hour today.

He said that Mufti Mehmood used to speak in a soft and sensible manner and did not close the door of negotiations in politics.

The PM regretted that politics nowadays started and ended with foul language, noting that the poison of foul language was fast dissolving in the society and destroying it.

He, however, expressed hope that those present at the conference would block the path of such poisonous style of politics and burry it forever.

The premier said when the country was going through an extremely difficult economic situation, only “one person” wished that it should become bankrupt.

Since assuming power, PM said, the government’s journey was full of thorns as the country went through extremely difficult situations but hoped that the ruling alliance would overcome the difficulties as the intentions were sincere.

He, however, said that the incumbent government had to face difficulties because of the previous government’s actions, especially, of violating the conditions of the IMF programme. PM said he never wanted to increase petroleum prices, burden people with inflation and let rupee weaken against the dollar but had to take some tough decisions as the previous government left no other choice.

Earlier, JUI-F and PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that his father Mufti Mehmood was an ideology and respected in all circles. While commenting on the basic structure of the Constitution, Fazl said that the basis of the Constitution is Islam, democracy, a parliamentary system and that there would be a federation and four units. He said that the country stood on these foundations and the Constitution was a unanimous document.