Imran should answer for money laundering,corruption in hospital: PML-N

ISLAMABAD: The PML-N has asked PTI Chairman Imran Khan to be held accountable for money-laundering and corruption in hospital.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Sunday, Minister of State for Privatization Muhammad Zubair said that the PTI’s plan of shutting down Islamabad on November 2 was tantamount to a revolt against the state.

He said it is the intention of Imran that some people should be killed and unrest should be spread in the country. He said Imran has not paid the tax of Bani Gala residence. He said Imran set up an offshore company with the name of Niazi Services in 1983. Imran kept his offshore company secret for 33 years and bought a flat in London in the name of Niazi Services and kept it secret till 1999. He said legal action would be taken against irregularities of Imran. Proof would be provided how Imran did irregularities. He said the prime minister will fulfill his promises made to the masses.

He said Imran and other party leaders are threatening to force the government to stop functioning and not allow people to open business centres and schools.

However, he said the government will ensure that the constitutional rights of the people of Islamabad and Rawalpindi were not trampled by the PTI and the state institutions continued to function.

Zubair said the PTI knows well that the present government will also win the next general elections because of its performance, therefore, it is  will also win the next general elections because of its performance, therefore it is resorting to the politics of violence. He said Imran demands accountability but he never held himself accountable for the acts he asks others to explain. He said Imran has been involved in money laundering, tax evasion and Benami transactions for thirty three years. 

The minister of state said Imran’s tax returns showed that he earned less than 100,000 rupees from 1981 to 1983 but he purchased a flat for 20,000 pounds in Britain in 1983. He said Imran must explain how he transferred amount from Pakistan for purchasing the flat. He said chief minister KPK consistently issuing statements against the CPEC project. 

He said the electricity load shedding will be overcome till 2018. He said who has given right to Imran to hold accountability of prime minister. He said if Imran wants to put pressure on the courts regarding Panama papers issue, the whole nation should be given the right to put pressure on courts for securing verdicts of their own choice. 

Zubair said the prime minister will accept the verdict of the court regarding Panama issue, adding Imran should tell whether he will accept the court verdict. Zubair said it is hoped that Imran would show sagacity and allow Supreme Court and election commission work. 

He said the government will protect lives and property of the people of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. He said Imran has requested Supreme Court to order investigations into Panama issue and on the other hand he is demanding resignation of prime minister. He said the forum for holding investigations would be decided by Supreme Court. 

He said five times Imran speaks to millions of people of country daily and quotes example of Hosni Mobarak, adding in the era of Hosni Mubarak if anyone had spoken against him, he was taught lesson. He said the open and shut case for Imran is not open and shut case for government, adding Imran should present his case in a court of law with proofs. He said the government will bring irregularities of Jehangir Tareen, Aleem Khan and Pervez Khattak in upcoming days before masses.

News Desk adds: Talking to the media, Defence Minister Kh Asif said Imran should answer for the 700 million rupees of Shaukat Khanum Hospital. He said Imran calls other looters and thieves while he has himself acted as a pickpocket. He said Khan is not a politician and may go free to make his last ditch effort in Islamabad. 

Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that making offshore companies is not a crime. PTI leaders Imran, Jahangir Tareen and Aleem Khan also established offshore companies, while many politicians got loans worth millions and then got them written off, he said and added that accountability should be across the board. He added that protest is right of everybody but none has the right to shut down the capital. Sana said the Panama case is sub judice in the Supreme Court, therefore Imran should withdraw his shutdown call. 

In an interview, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said Nawaz Sharif is elected prime minister and there is no reason for him to resign. He said constitution allows none to shutdown the capital. 

Planning and Population Welfare Minister Ahsan Iqbal has said that on November 2, not Islamabad but politics of Imran Khan will be shut down. He said Imran’s politics will win PML-N the two-thirds majority in 2018 elections. He said Imran was presented worst proofs corruption of his chief minister and ministers in the KP, but he disbanded the provincial ehtesab commission. 

Railways Minister Kh Saad Rafiq said Imran should wait for the 2018 elections to become prime minister. He said doors for talks in politics are always kept open. 

PML-N MNA Hamza Shahbaz said nothing is going to happen on November 2. PTI had earlier wasted 126 days of the nation and now is conspiring against the CPEC. Hamza said he was kept in Adiala jail for six months and put to wait outside NAB offices for hours, while Imran was allying with Musharraf in referendum. He said Pakistanis are sensible and recognize those who got their loans written off. 

 —Originally published in The News