Prime Minister Shehbaz hinted at ‘the backdoor efforts’ with the political opponents in the prevailing political situation, saying he was ready to go to every door for the larger national interest if there was “sincerity” and “seriousness” on the other side.
The Prime Minister said that he was the person who first of all talked about the “charter of democracy” on the floor of the house but unfortunately their call was not received well by the then rulers [Imran Khan and his government].
“I’m ready to go to any door for the sake of this country and for the larger national interest only if the other side shows sincerity and seriousness in this regard,” said the PM while addressing a press conference at Model Town Secretariat on Saturday. He also said that he would share the details about it soon.
Lashing out at PTI Chairman Imran Khan by calling him a “certified thief, dishonest and corrupt”, the PM categorically said that the ruling coalition would complete its term and would work hard to steer the country out of crises.
“We have no intention for an early general election. Still, there are eleven months to the next general elections. We will work hard during this time to strengthen the economy,” said PM Shehbaz. He criticized Imran Khan for saving his own home in Banigala, demolishing the houses of poor people there and despite all that, chanting the slogan of “Riasat-e-Madina”.
When asked that the narrative of Imran Khan was perceived as very strong too which he said that “Hitler had also a strong narrative but he damaged his country, so Imran has a narrative similar to that of Hitler narrative,”.
Responding to a question, PM Shehbaz said Pakistan is ready to revive its ties with neighbouring India but it could not be materialized unless India showed some seriousness over the issues including occupied Kashmir. He also urged his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to save the younger generation and stop buying weapons to fight against poverty and hunger in the region.
He also stated that he himself would go to the airport when Nawaz Sharif would return to Pakistan. Talking about the appointment of the next Chief of Army Staff, the PM said that it was an important constitutional matter and the government would fulfil its obligation under the law.
The PM also made it clear that there was no threat to democracy and he was ready to go to every door for the larger national interest and for the country but there was only one condition that there should be “sincerity” and “seriousness” on the other end.
While answering a question about Imran Khan’s long march towards Islamabad, the PM said that the government would take action under the law and would not let him [Imran Khan] enter there.
“I know, Imran Khan since day one is hatching conspiracies and making attempts to create unrest and instability in the country but now he is a certified thief and dishonest and if people still followed him then what can I say,” the PM said, adding that Imran Khan used to call others as “thief and dacoit” but now he himself as a proven thief.
“Not just me, Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Hamza Shehbaz were put behind the bars. They also raided my daughters’ house and surrounded them and even Zardari’s sister was also arrested by the PTI government,” said PM Shehbaz, pointing out that the law now would take its course.
When asked why his government was not going after the PTI leaders and Farhat Shehzadi known as Farah Gogi in the corruption cases, Shehbaz Sharif said that he was not Imran Khan to run after everyone and to put them behind the bars. He stated that it was the responsibility and duty of the state institutions and they would do it.
Talking about inflation and the deteriorating economy, PM Shehbaz Sharif said that the rupee made some gains against the US dollar since Ishaq Dar resumed the charge as the Finance Minister, and vowed that they would try their best to provide relief to the masses. He said that the government followed a due process of bidding to award a contract to import wheat and gave the contract to the lowest bidder in this regard and saving billions of rupees. He said they imposed a ban on sugar exports for the sake of the people.
He said that Friday was the luckiest day for the nation and the country as two pieces of good news emerged; first about Pakistan’s removal from the grey list and the second about the “disqualification” of Imran Khan over minting money through the sale of precious gifts from Thoshakhana—a national treasure.
“God forbid, Imran Niazi has been disqualified due to his dishonesty and corruption. In 2018, he was imposed upon the system and later he sold out the buffaloes of the PM house and put the cars on sale. On other hand, he sold out the buffaloes and deposited Rs2.8 million in the national exchequer and on the other hand, he sold out the precious gifts including a watch worth Rs150 million rupees and put the money into his own pocket,” said PM, adding that it was Niazi who used to claim that whenever the prices of gas and electricity went up it was due to corruption of the rulers but what he did later was not commendable act.
The PM said that Imran Khan said he did not know about the watch and the money but the person who bought it revealed to the concerned authorities about that watch.
“Now I have displayed that watch in the Prime Minister’s House, so the people could know who was the corrupt and who was the man who saved it,” he claimed. He stated that Khan also did not declare his and his wife’s assets and concealed the facts and details from the ECP.
He gave due credit to the State Bank of Pakistan for investigating the matter of the watch sale and reached the conclusion as there was no money trail.
“Imran Niazi was alleging others for the past many years but you know, for instance, Ahsan Iqbal and Maryam Nawaz were gracefully acquitted by the court on merit,” he said, pointing out that all corruption cases against him were proven wrong. The National Crime Agency of the UK, he said, investigated his matter for two years and later exonerated him from the charges and now a Lahore court had also set him free in the same money laundering case.
“His sister Aleema Khan was given the NRO and she also served as a Member of the Board of Directors of Shaukat Khanum. It was just Niazi and NAB nexus and nothing else,” he added.
He also congratulated the nation over Pakistan’s removal from FATF’s grey list, thanked Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, State Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, the officers of the Foreign Ministry, and other state departments for their efforts to get the country out of FATF’s grey list. He also thanked Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the armed forces under his command for their support over the FATF’s issue.
