Foreign funding probe: PM Imran Khan challenges Opposition to give details of '1,000 bank accounts even'
January 29, 2021
- PM Imran Khan says PTI submitted details of 40,000 bank accounts, dares Opposition to submit "1,000 even"
- Says government land can only be grabbed with political backing and "in PML-N tenure politicians were able to occupy government lands"
- "A fugitive leader wants to bring revolution by sitting in London," says premier, adding that PDM "was bound to fail"
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday challenged Opposition parties to provide details of "1,000 bank accounts even" in the ongoing foreign funding probe by the Election Commission of Pakistan's scrutiny committee.
"Those who trapped us in the foreign funding case are now trapped themselves," PM Imran Khan said, in a conversation with journalists in Sialkot.
He said that the PTI has submitted details of 40,000 bank accounts through which it received funding ahead of the 2018 elections and claimed that when they are scrutinised they "will all turn up clear".
ECP to hold open hearing after scrutiny committee submits report
Among other topics discussed, the premier said that a constitutional amendment is in the works for an open ballot system to be introduced for Senate elections.
He spoke of farmers and how the government could not pay special attention to them yet.
"Kamyab Kissan farmer package is the beginning. We will provide a comprehensive package for farmers and for agriculture overall," he said.
'Govt lands cannot be occupied without political backing'
The prime minister spoke at length of the recent razing of the Khokhar Palace, built on land the government says was grabbed by mafias.
"Government lands cannot be occupied without political backing," said the premier, adding: "The Khokhar brothers had seized government land worth Rs1.3 billion".
He criticised PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz for "calling herself a leader of the future but is supporting the land grabbing mafia".
LDA launches operation against 'illegal construction' at Khokhar Palace
Maryam had come out in support of the Khokhar brothers after Lahore Development Authority launched an operation against illegal construction at Khokhar Palace — the residence of senior vice president PML-N Lahore Saiful Malook Khokhar and MNA Malik Afzal Khokhar in Johar Town.
She said they are "huge assets" for the PML-N and "faced oppression, never backing away from supporting Nawaz Sharif and never being disloyal despite everything".
PM Imran, referring to the PML-N's tenure, said: "It is in their time that politicians were able to occupy government lands."
"We will not spare these big thieves and the land grabbing mafia," he vowed.
'PDM was bound to fail'
The prime minister also spoke of Pakistan Democratic Movement, the 11-party Opposition alliance.
"PDM was bound to fail," he said, adding that the all the "dacoits had banded together to blackmail" him.
He said the PDM are "fools" to think that the people will come out in support of such "corrupt" individuals.
"A fugitive leader wants to bring revolution by sitting in London," he added.
The prime minister said that "the only reason the PDM keeps giving out dates and setting ultimatums is so that they can remain united".
'Maulana an insult to scholars'
The premier also turned his guns to the PDM chief in particular — Maulana Fazlur Rehman, saying that he is "an insult to religious scholars".
"He is a corrupt man. Calling him a maulana is an insult to religious scholars," PM Imran said.
He added that Fazlur Rehman had "used madressah students and raked in billions".
The premier said that Fazlur Rehman "considers himself above the law" and the movement "does not accept any decision that is given by any forum which is against it".
"NAB is unearthing their corruption so they are against it [...] in the past they would get their judges to give decisions in their favour," PM Imran said.
