- PTI chairman believes ruling family spending money on journalists, lawyers, newspapers
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan lashed out at his rivals on Thursday, saying that the nation demanded answers, not the unending ‘drama’ unfolding in the wake of the Supreme Court-sanctioned Joint Investigation Team’s (JIT) probe into the Sharif family’s business abroad.
Dismissing statements made by PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz a day earlier, he alleged that the Sharif family was ‘burning the country’s money by bribing the judiciary, media and other officials to hide corruption’ all the while claiming it is saving democracy.
“One family’s corruption is being safeguarded. They’ve bought all the newspapers … They’ve spent money on journalists and on lawyers. They are burning the country’s money to hide their theft, and claiming they are saving democracy,” he claimed without reference.
He claimed that they (Sharif family) were after the Supreme Court and they were after the military. “You are destroying institutions while saying you are trying to save democracy,” he said. “Is this what saving democracy looks like,” he asked.
“They had said, ‘we are doing business, what are these accusations against us? Their entire business has been built up through corruption while in power,” he claimed. “These Indian film scenes you are acting out are useless. The people want answers and not drama,” he said in reference to press conferences of Sharif family members.
The PTI chief also claimed that although the PML-N had raised a ruckus over the summons issued to Maryam Nawaz by the JIT, their party members were known for disrespecting women. “What about the way Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif spoke about Shireen Mazari and Firdous Ashiq Awan,” he questioned.
He also recalled a smear campaign against Jemima Goldsmith which he claimed was launched by the PML-N. “The entire country is with the Supreme Court,” he said. “As soon as the PML-N try anything funny … the entire nation will be waiting for one call,” he said. “After July 10, see how the public comes out,” he said. “The entire nation will come onto the streets,” he asserted.
Talking to a private TV channel, Imran said that the appearance of any female before the Joint Investigation Team was not likeable, but Sharif family was harvesting what they had sown in the past. “I don’t like the appearance of a female before JIT ever but Sharif family is getting the reward of their actions,” he said.
He said that Sharif family has established ‘monarchy’ of Mughal era in the name of democracy in Pakistan while considering themselves above the law. But this type of governance can no longer sustain, he said, adding that he always speaks the truth and stands against corruption. Therefore, he claimed that he was being targeted by the PML-N leaders.
He said that as much as they speak against him, he would continue to speak the truth so that he could bring his anti-corruption mission to logical end to give the nation a corruption-free Pakistan. To a question, he said that if he becomes the prime minister then he would produce 30,000 mega watts of electricity from water reservoirs to overcome power shortage.
He said that his government has eliminated corruption in Pakhtunkhwa on a higher level and was implementing uplift projects. He said that soon Pakhtunkhwa would become a model province for the whole country in every aspect.
