CHAKWAL - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday once again criticised former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for mocking the nation’s institutions just to safeguard his alleged corruption.
The PTI chairman addressing a public gathering in Chakwal ahead of the PS-20 by-election scheduled to be held on January 9, said that those who vote for the Pakistan Muslim Leauge (PML-N) should be held answerable for siding with those responsible for corruption of billions of rupees.
The seat fell vacant on October 30 after the death of PML-N’s Chaudhry Liaquat Ali Khan who had won the election seven times since 1985. The by-poll is seen as crucial as it can set the course of the next election. The seat is being contested by the late MPA’s son Chaudhry Sultan Haider Ali and the PTI’s Raja Tariq Mehmood Afzal.
“Nawaz Sharif stole Rs300 billion of the nation and now asks why he was ousted. Rather than giving trail of his assets, he is ridiculing the institutions,” said Imran.
He further said that Sharif was criticising the nation’s institutions, and was seeking assistance from Saudi Arabia to escape corruption charges.
“When a thief is caught the first thing is that he is held answerable, but instead Sharif is criticising his own institutions,” Imran said.
The PTI chief claimed that the ex-prime minister Sharif begged for mercy during his recent visit to Saudi Arabia, calling him a thief and accusing him of disrespecting the national institutions.
He said Pakistan had to resort to seeking foreign loans due to the massive corruption, and then is derided by the United States. “If we have not received loans and aid from America, then we would not have been ridiculed today,” he said.
“We are not liars and deceivers. These are people like (US President) Trump and Nawaz Sharif,” he said, adding, that the nation was ridiculed due to actions of rulers like Sharif who siphoned money out of the country.
“First they fought the war for the US then received taunts from them,” he said, adding, that the US was unsuccessful in Afghanistan even after 17 years and blaming Pakistan for her failures.
He vowed to reform the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) so that those responsible for corruption could be held answerable. “I promise to bring back the money stashed abroad, strengthen the nation and make the country respectful around the world.”
He said that Trump had stopped 25b rupees aid for Pakistan, but Nawaz Sharif was responsible for 300b rupees corruption. Furthermore, Pakistanis bought property abroad particularly Dubai worth 800b rupees while nation was being derided for 25b rupees.
He said just a handful of honest individuals could reform the nation, such as the police force and bureaucracy was being improved in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He added that the biggest problem facing Pakistan was that national institutions were being destroyed, and the money from corruption could be used for welfare of the people.
He called on the residents of Chakwal to teach those making a mockery since the three decades a befitting lesson in the upcoming by-elections.
The party chairman announced to launch campaign against corruption.
Imran blamed Nawaz Sharif and held him responsible for the “disrespect of nation” after the allegations of US President Donald Trump.
The PTI chairman said that those who give loan never give due respect. He stated that Pakistan sacrificed a lot of lives in war against terrorism while the US couldn’t succeed in Afghanistan despite years of struggle.
He expressed disappointment at the statements of Trump, adding that the US has now alleged Pakistan of harbouring safe havens for terrorists due to its failure in war against terrorism.
Talking about the governance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he praised the provincial government of PTI, saying that they had improved the facilities in hospitals and schools while decreasing unemployment.
