Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Thursday that the Panama leaks issue would have fizzled out long ago if his party had not taken a stand on it because the major political parties had kept silent on this issue.

Speaking to editors of the print and electronic media at his residence in Banni Gala on Thursday, Khan said the government issued Rs 8 billion advertisement to the media in the wake of the Panama leaks and it was an injustice to the nation. He said this was the first time that the entire nation stood united on the terms of reference (ToRs) for the investigation into the Panama leaks. He said that anybody who would backtrack on investigation into the Panama leaks would be labelled as Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman and the nation would not forgive him. It makes no difference if the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is leading the joint opposition because the objective is to bring the looted money back, he said. He said that any political party that would leave the joint opposition would be ruined politically.

“If the elections are held under the existing system, we will not get an overwhelming majority, but we will give the government a tough time in any case. I am seeing elections by the end of this year, “ Khan said. He was of the view that it was prime minister’s duty, not opposition’s, to strengthen the parliament, but Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif did not like to come in the parliament. And if he comes to the parliament, which is rare, he tells lies, he said.

The PTI chairman said that his party would present the performance of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government as a role model in the next general election. He said the prime minister should not level allegations against opposition leaders; he should take them to court if they commit any wrong. He said that institutions could not be strengthened without eliminating political interference. He said the PTI did not change its stance on the Panama leaks from the beginning until now; it wanted the prime minister to tell the nation how the money was transferred abroad to buy offshore companies.

“The government levelled allegations against me despite the fact that I gave proof of my income, sale of my flat in London and transfer of money to Pakistan. I have a clear-cut stance on this issue; put me on trial under the law if I have done anything wrong. The prime minister has the authority and he can move a court of law against me if I have committed any wrong,” he said.

The PTI chief said it was regretful that leaders like Defence Minister Khawaja Asif were talking about proof against his party, but not bringing up anything. He said that ruling party members were just hollering; they had no evidence against him or any leader of his party. He said that ToRs for the government and opposition leaders would be the same.

He said that people had become very knowledgeable and the social media played a great role in educating the people. He said the government gave the media a huge advertisement campaign and spent money on this campaign from the national exchequer to hide its bad governance. He said that people knew each and every thing about the tricks being played by the government. He said the government would have to face the public if it refuses to accept the ToRs prepared by the opposition for investigation into the Panama leaks. He said the PML-N was working on the loot and run away plan. He said that rulers were investing money in big projects instead of human development project to make more and more money.

Khan said that his party would take to the street if action is not taken on the reports of the Panama Papers. He told journalists that the PTI would not remain quiet if the government succeeds to strike a deal with other political parties on investigation into the Panama leaks.

The cricketer-turned-politician said the PML-N introduced new ways of rigging, as only 40,000 of 200,000 votes in the NA-110 constituency could be verified. He was of the opinion that there was no concept of polling agent in other countries because free and fair elections were being conducted there. He said that 25 million ballot papers went missing in the last election. The judicial commission pointed out 44 flaws, but no action was taken on any of them. He said that reforms were possible only if lawbreakers are punished. He said the government of Pervaiz Elahi, former Punjab chief minister, was better than the incumbent government.

Khan stated that Pakistan was facing a foreign policy crisis and relations with India were based on personal interest rather than international diplomatic norms. He said the gas pipeline project with Iran should have been started earlier and relations with India and Afghanistan should have been established on equal terms.