ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Thursday demanded resignation from National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq for what he said ‘failing’ to execute his responsibilities as the custodian of the house.

The demand from the PTI chief came following the decision of the Election Commission of Pakistan that dismissed disqualification references against PTI chief Imran Khan and its Secretary General Jehangir Khan Tareen.

“National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq has served as a ‘Darbari’ of Sharif family and he should resign for not fulfilling his duties as custodian of the house,” said Khan while addressing a press conference at his Banigala residence.

He said that Sadiq together with the Sharif family ventured to blackmail him. He said that the government had tried hard to disqualify him but ultimately failed in doing so. He said that his assets were declared and he had provided money trail and sales deed to the ECP in December. He remarked that he was targeted by Sharif family for exposing their corruption and for dragging them to the court. The PTI chief said that there was no difference between PM Nawaz Sharif’s so-called democracy and dictatorship.

Khan said that public service institutions were serving the Sharif family and also criticised the FIA and the FBR for their ineptness in eradicating corruption and plunder from the country. He said that all institutions kept on seeking evidence against him and Tareen but never ever they tried to inquire the Panama leaks. He said that Nawaz Sharif bestowed his Qatari business partner contract worth 200 billion without bidding and PM should be disqualified over this.

Khan said that the Sharif-led PML-N government cannot sustain pressure and implement its manifesto pertaining to good relations with neighbouring countries due to Sharif’s corruption of the past for which he could easily be blackmailed.

He said that the PM knew this well that whenever he would challenge any of the policy of the Pakistan’s military, it will take him to the task for his corruption cases and money-laundering.

While answering a question regarding the proposed parliamentary commission to investigate Husain Haqqani’s recent claims, Khan said that all issues including Memogate, Dawn Leaks, and Haqqani’s recent claims had one common connection. “In all these episodes the civilian government has been found complaining against Pakistan’s military for not toeing the civilian leadership’s line on issues of curbing terrorism and having friendly relations with India”.

If that’s the situation, Khan said, then the government should say it publically instead of complaining against the army before the US or India adding there was hypocrisy on behalf of civilians as they publically claim that they were on the same page but in fact, they were polls apart.