Lahore/SARGODHA - Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Shairf responded to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s Rs10 billion bribery claim on Saturday and said that he would tag Khan ‘IG of liars’ if the latter’s claim is proven wrong in the court.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said this while addressing the participants of scholarship distribution ceremony among the intellectual and promising students at University of Sargodha on Saturday. He urged court to take suo motu notice and hear the case on daily basis like Panama Leaks case. He said that he would leave politics for forever if Imran Khan’s bribery allegations are proven in the court.

Shahbaz Sharif lambasted detractors of metro bus projects and announced the same project in Sargodha. Shedding light on Punjab Education Endowment Fund (PEEF), the chief minister said that Rs17.50 billion have been deposited in provincial exchequer for the landmark project.

“The scholarship programme was initiated in 2008 and since then, 198,000 children have either benefitted or are reaping fruits of PEEF. It is the first scholarship programme of its kind in South Asia,” added Sharif.

It should be recalled that Imran Khan had claimed that he was offered Rs10b by Sharif brothers to stay mum on Panama Leaks Case. The claim has stirred extreme outrage in camps of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) whose leaders are incessantly demanding from Imran Khan to name who offered him bribe.

However, the chief minister said that more than Rs17 billion had been given to 0.2 million students in Punjab. He said that a sum of Rs2 billion is given to Punjab Educational Endowment Fund per annum and that remittance would be increased to Rs5 billion from next fiscal year.  He said that conversation with a driver had compelled him to initiate that scholarship scheme for intellectual students during the period of banishment at Jeddah. He said that the scholarship scheme is one of its kind in Asia including India where Modi claims to work for the promotion of brilliant students.

He inaugurated Fountain House and met with mentally retarded children. He also gave them candies and chocolates. Meanwhile, strict security measures were made in Sargodha.

He said the opponents do not like Pakistan to prosper but they are determined to serve the public.  “Free education, health and provision of residential facilities are the responsibility of every genuine welfare state. And, we are following the policies of making this country a welfare state,” he added

 A handout cited the CM as saying: “Pakistan could not be called a country of Iqbal and Quaid when the children of president, prime minister, chief ministers, ministers and the elite travel in chauffer driven limousines and study in the elite institutions of the world, while the children of great Pakistanis earning 'rizq e halal' with their hard work remain deprived of basic facilities. He said that merit rules in Punjab; and like all other programs, merit is supreme is the launch of this educational fund. All the stipends are released purely on merit. Chief Minister, any minister or assembly member cannot recommend anybody. This stipend is given purely on the basis of hard work of the children. The children getting education on this stipend would brought laurels home and the world will also recognize us.”