Rejoinder: Pervaiz Rashid rejects PTI chief’s claims

Minister says Imran Khan is levelling ‘false and baseless allegations’ against the PM

ISLAMABAD:

Information Minister Senator Pervaiz Rashid said the government had decided to form the judicial commission on August 13, 2013 but Imran Khan himself did not want the creation of the inquiry commission, as so far his allegations about four constituencies had been proven wrong by the courts. 

“The judicial commission cannot work in place of the tribunals,” he told a press conference.

He said Imran Khan was levelling ‘false and baseless allegations’ against the PM and members of his family and was opposing projects launched for people’s welfare.

“The prime minister and government ministers have declared their assets before the ECP and filed their tax returns. The Sharif family was doing business even before the independence of Pakistan,” he reminded. Talking with reference to Ramzan Sugar Mills, he said Imran defended a person, who was sought for fraud and misappropriation, which showed absence of moral values on his part.

Pervaiz Rashid said Imran Khan submitted apology before the Supreme Court for using wrong language against former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and assured that he would not repeat this in future.

“Imran in his apology expressed full faith and confidence in the Supreme Court and judiciary of the time headed by chief justice Chaudhry,” he added.

The minister said former chief justice has filed a defamation case against Imran Khan for which the PTI leader has again apologised through a written statement in the court.

The minister said Imran Khan complains against courts but the courts say that Imran does not appear before judges who are forced to publish advertisements in newspapers that the PTI leader is not complying to summons on purpose. “Imran Khan is avoiding taking his allegations about rigging in elections to the courts,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2015.