ISLAMABAD: Days after Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered formation of a joint investigation team to further probe Panama scandal, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman on Friday told a charged rally of thousands of his supporters in the federal capital to stand up against the corrupt leaders and support him in his efforts to hold a sitting prime minister accountable for corruption.
“Wherever you are, stand up against corruption and raise the slogan of go Nawaz go,” Imran told a cheering crowd at the Parade Ground, as he announced social boycott of the prime minister over corruption and urged all of his followers to do the same. “I assure you that we have reached a point when we will hold a sitting prime minister accountable for his corruption,” he said, and added, “I call professionals, labourers and all to come out and give a strong message to all these failed institutions. I pray to Allah Almighty to turn Pakistan into a great nation.”
The PTI chief said he was ready to reveal the identity of the individual who offered him Rs 10 billion on behalf of the Sharif family. “Take me to court and I will reveal the identity of the individual,” he said, adding, “The messenger who brought the offer was also offered Rs 2 billion for convincing me.” “If I name the person here, they will conspire against him,” he said.
“The Sharifs have a history of suppressing people. Therefore, first I will ask the Supreme Court to provide protection to the person who brought me the offer and then I will disclose his name,” he said.
Citing Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s stance at the time when former PM Yousaf Raza Gilani was facing a probe, Imran demanded the premier to step down as he was facing a corruption probe. He also urged the people of the country to step out of their homes against corrupt rulers.
Referring to Panamagate verdict by the apex court, the PTI chief said two judges maintained that the prime minister was neither ‘Sadiq’ nor ‘Ameen’ while the other three said further investigation was needed in the case. The Supreme Court has even disregarded a letter by the Qatari prince, he said, and added that the ‘motoo gang’ was celebrating the verdict.
“How can Nawaz ask anyone not to indulge in corrupt practices when he doesn’t have the moral authority to do so? The judges have rejected Qatari letters and Nawaz has been proved a liar. How can he continue to be a PM?” he asked.
Referring to Indian business tycoon Sajjan Jindal’s unannounced and mysterious visit and meeting with the prime minister in Murree, Imran said, “This time, India won’t be able to save Nawaz.”
The PTI chief said Nawaz does not have courage to confront Modi over India’s involvement in spreading terrorism in Pakistan. He said he would raise voice for the rights of Kashmiris on all possible platforms.
Imran said the general sales tax being paid by the people on petroleum products, mobile phone top ups and other facilities only uplifts the already uplifted while further suppressing the impoverished.
He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak has recently returned from China after signing multiple memorandums of understanding of over Rs 23 billion investment in the province. The KP government has held around 1.1 million civil servants accountable in its three-year tenure over graft and corruption, he claimed.
The PTI chief said Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif did not give this nation anything except bribery and buying everyone. “When I was young, this county was on road to become a really great one. We had a rank, a status. When Ayub Khan went to America, he was greeted at the airport by the US president,” he said.
