PESHAWAR - Warning the government of launching a massive agitation movement, PTI Chairman Imran Khan said on Sunday that his party would not let the government drag the matter of Panama leaks until 2018, when the PML-N government tenure ends.
Reiterating his demand of holding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family accountable, he offered himself for accountability alongside the PM on the same ToRs.
“If powerful people are not held accountable for big crimes, money laundering, tax evasion and corruption, why the poor are being kept in prisons, the Imran Khan asked while addressing a public meeting in Kohat district.
PTI chief said the ruling party wants to drag the matter until next general election in 2018. “My party will not let them do so.” He warned that his supporters would be on roads if the PM would not be held accountable over Panama leaks.
“What his party is afraid of if he (Nawaz) has done no wrong? I am ready to be held accountable on the same ToRs that are being prepared for others. We will not back out on holding PM and his family accountable.”
He said that leaders lead by example. Corrupt leaders ruin societies while honest leaders raise the level of the character of their nation. Pakistan needs such leadership as declares its assets and speaks the truth.
“Maryam Nawaz (daughter of PM Nawaz Sharif) said that she has no apartments abroad, while one of her brothers said she has two, yet another said they were on rent. The children of Nawaz Sharif cannot even harmonize their concocted stories.”
Imran alleged the PM of corruption by saying that before coming into power “you [Nawaz Sharif] had only one company but you own 28 companies now because you abused powers”.
“Give me one name from among the western leaders who have made a second company after coming into power. Building factories after coming into power is corruption. A corrupt leader destroys society. A country which has corrupt leadership cannot progress,” he stated.
PTI chairman said that had he wanted to commit corruption he would have become billionaire through embezzlement of funds in KP where his party is in government. “I want the country to make progress. Pakistan must have respect in the world.”
Mr Khan said that youth was the asset of Pakistan, adding that 60 percent of country’s population consists of youth. “You people are the future of this country. You have the power to change the fate of this nation.” Educating the women is equally important for country’s prosperity and that Pakistan shall be made a welfare state according to Allama Iqbal’s dream, he was of the view.
The PTI chief said that Pakistan would only progress through investing in human resources. “The day is not far when this country would get its great destiny. People will come to Pakistan for jobs. We won’t be relying on foreign aid; rather, poor countries would seek loans from Pakistan.”
Praying for PM Nawaz Sharif’s quick recovery and return to the country, Imran Khan said that Panama leaks issue could have been resolved if Mr Sharif had given answers to the four questions raised by him in the National Assembly. Imran Khan also criticised the politics of JUI-F and its leadership.
He told the gathering that he did not expect that such large number of people would attend the rally in the extremely hot weather.
Besides others, PTI central leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi, party MNAs and MPAs and KP CM Pervez Khattak also attended the public meeting.
Khattak in his address said that his government was undertaking a number of development projects across the province, adding that billions of rupees were being spent to provide basic facilities to the people of the province.
The CM announced setting up a women university in district Kohat, boys and girls colleges in various parts of the district and awarding the status of tehsil to Gombat area. He said that funds would be made available for all projects in the area on priority basis.