ISLAMABAD: In a bizarre turn of events, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Chairman Tahirul Qadri and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday lashed out against the corrupt federal government.
– ‘Imran Khan’s accusations’ –
Imran khan said that the Raiwind march will definitely take place before the Islamic month of Muharram.
While talking to media persons in the federal capital, the PTI chairman invited all the other opinion parties to join the march against the corrupt government and said, “I’m calling everyone from Pakistan to join us as the march would be a historic protest.”
He said that his party’s march would not enter the houses as only the protest was their democratic right. Khan said that PTI is in contact with all the opposition parties and for their participation the date of the protest can be extended – although it would be before Muharram,” said the PTI chairman.
Khan further said that the government’s threats indicate that it is under pressure and reiterated that PTI’s protest would be outside the prime minister’s residence. He also warned the government that unlawful use of force will have consequences.
He alleged that the government has destroyed the institutions and did not let them remain impartial – because in democracy, no political interference in the institutes is allowed.
Khan said that he would never call National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq as ‘speaker’ – as he proved his impartiality when he forwarded the reference against him (Imran Khan) and discarded the one against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
“Nawaz Sharif’s government is worse than that of Pervez Musharraf,” khan said and demanded the country’s nationals to name a single department functioning properly.
– ‘PML-N’s response’ –
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Talal Chaudhry and Tariq Faisal – in response to the PTI chief’s accusations – held a press conference.
The PML-N’s representatives said that PTI’s 70 questions had recently plummeted to four. They said that the government was fully supporting the Opposition in the Panama probe and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif also addressed the House on the oppositions’ demands.
They said that Khan would soon get disqualified as he provided wrong details of assets to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and that the PTI chief should look around his party-governed province to find corruption.
“Imran khan and Jahangir Tareen also have offshore companies,” PML-N’s leader said and added that Tareen was involved in several corruption scandals and did it under his employees’ names.
They also said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s name was not in the Panama papers, and urged Khan to perform well if he wanted to keep his political activity alive.
– ‘Tahirul Qadri’s accusations’ –
Meanwhile in Lahore, Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s (PAT) chairman accused Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of harbouring Indian spies.
He said at least 300 Indians – granted with exclusive protocols – are working in the Sharif’s sugar mills and also have special privileges including exemption from police inspection.
He criticised the PML-N leadership for allowing safe passage to the Indian spies and said that if they are not agents of the enemy’s intelligence agencies then why were they exempted from police inspection?
The PAT’s chief – in another query – asked “Why was no one allowed to enter the Sharif’s sugar mills?”
The PAT’s chief demanded the prime minister’s reply in the National Assembly and said that if his allegations are proved ‘wrong’, he will apologise in front of the entire nation.
Qadri also accused the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA), National Accountability Bureau (NAB), State Bank of Pakistan and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) of equal corruption involvement with the PML-N government.
He further accused the rulers of trying to cut loose the Balochistan province from Pakistan as the Delhi’s High Commissioner did not issue any letter for the 300 Indians. He pointed out that India had always sponsored state terrorism.
Qadri – while demanded Rangers operation in Punjab – said that at least 200 militants would be captured, if the paramilitary force raided in only 25 cities of the province. He concluded by saying, “The time has come for citizens to choose from ‘Pakistan’ or ‘its rules’.