'Present leaders' declared assets too little for lavish foreign trips'
Contesting in elections in west requires declaration of assets, paid taxes and sources of income, says Khan.
KARACHI:
Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan said Thursday that being a former cricketer in England, he knows how expensive a foreign tour can be, yet the present leaders despite their minuscule ‘declared assets’ were making extravagant foreign trips.
Khan, addressing the Bar Council in Karachi, said that the current leaders say they are “democratically elected”, but do not even know the meaning of it.
“The first thing in democracy is accountability and transparency,” said Khan, adding, “The leader starts with himself.”
Taking elections in the west as an example, Khan said that from union council elections to those for electing the prime minister and the president, “the leader first declares his assets, the amount of taxes he had paid and his sources of income”.
He said that without these three things, one cannot be a candidate abroad and if they lie about even one, you don’t just lose your post, you go to jail.
“It is called perjury,” said Khan. “Lying under oath can get you a jail sentence.”
“Those who have declared their assets, look at their declared assets and their lifestyles," he said.
“When you take a look at their assets, you will say add them to the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP).”
Asking people to look at the lifestyles of these leaders, Khan said, “I have played professional cricket in England for 18 years, I know how expensive it is.”
He said that the leaders spent their holidays too lavishly to have such little assets.
“Look at how they go to England and spend their holidays,” he said. “They shop at Harrods, it is the most expensive store there.”
Khan questioned where they got the money from, adding that they “don’t even pay their taxes”.
“This is that class, I tell the people of Pakistan, which if not defeated then this country will have no future,” said Khan.
Referring to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Fasih Bukhari’s statement of daily corruption worth Rs8 billion per day, Khan said that those who are indulging in the corruption have made a law for themselves that does not let the court touch them.
Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan said Thursday that being a former cricketer in England, he knows how expensive a foreign tour can be, yet the present leaders despite their minuscule ‘declared assets’ were making extravagant foreign trips.
Khan, addressing the Bar Council in Karachi, said that the current leaders say they are “democratically elected”, but do not even know the meaning of it.
“The first thing in democracy is accountability and transparency,” said Khan, adding, “The leader starts with himself.”
Taking elections in the west as an example, Khan said that from union council elections to those for electing the prime minister and the president, “the leader first declares his assets, the amount of taxes he had paid and his sources of income”.
He said that without these three things, one cannot be a candidate abroad and if they lie about even one, you don’t just lose your post, you go to jail.
“It is called perjury,” said Khan. “Lying under oath can get you a jail sentence.”
“Those who have declared their assets, look at their declared assets and their lifestyles," he said.
“When you take a look at their assets, you will say add them to the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP).”
Asking people to look at the lifestyles of these leaders, Khan said, “I have played professional cricket in England for 18 years, I know how expensive it is.”
He said that the leaders spent their holidays too lavishly to have such little assets.
“Look at how they go to England and spend their holidays,” he said. “They shop at Harrods, it is the most expensive store there.”
Khan questioned where they got the money from, adding that they “don’t even pay their taxes”.
“This is that class, I tell the people of Pakistan, which if not defeated then this country will have no future,” said Khan.
Referring to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Fasih Bukhari’s statement of daily corruption worth Rs8 billion per day, Khan said that those who are indulging in the corruption have made a law for themselves that does not let the court touch them.