LAHORE - Former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday criticized Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan for what he called the cricketer-turned-politician ‘an inexperienced person’

“How can an inexperienced person decide the fate of 20 million people?” The fate of 20 million people could not be given to a naïve person,” Ahsan said while talking to the reporters at the Lahore High Court after his appearance in contemptuous statement case.

However, Ahsan did not comment on his own matter of contemptuous statement, saying that it was a sub-judice matter.

He said consistency in policies was required for five years for development of the country but claimed that Imran Khan lacked the ability of consistency.  He argued that Khan was inconsistent kind of person who he said could not even decide the nomination of caretaker chief minister in Punjab.

He questioned that how a person could lead a country when he had not even the experience of contesting local bodies election.  Ahsan said Pakistan had been facing internal challenges to its growth and stability. Before the government of PML-N, more than 40 persons used to be the victim of  terrorism  on daily basis but his party played role in establishing peace in the country.  He said he always respected courts and said he had contest not with the courts but with the mindset behind the life attempt on him.

Earlier, during the proceedings of his case, three-member bench head Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi asked him that why targeted Chief Justice of Pakistan in his speech on China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The bench also turned down his plea not to show his “contemptuous speech” on projector in the courtroom and ordered exhibition of the video.  Ahsan Iqbal again reiterated that he always respected the judiciary and said he just made a complaint to the Chief Justice of Pakistan in his speech.  The bench put off further hearing until June 22.

The bench also recorded statement of accused involved in taking out a rally against the judges of the superior courts in Kasur, with direction to their counsels to come up with arguments.  Accused Nasir Khan and Jamil Khan confessed their guilt and recorded their statement to the court. However, former PML-N MNA Sheikh Waseem and Ahmad Latif pleaded not guilty.  Former MPA Naeem Safdar and another accused had already recorded their statement in the case. After recording their statement, the bench sought arguments of their counsels and put off further hearing till June 25.