Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday came hard on the PTI Chairman Imran Khan, calling him a “fraudster” and the “biggest liar in Pakistan’s history”.
“I can swear to God he [Imran Khan] is a fraudster and has tried to create rifts in important institutions of Pakistan,” he said while addressing a press conference flanked by Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal.
Shehbaz Sharif as said that by building a deceitful narrative of conspiracy against his government, Imran Khan committed “treason against Pakistan” and its people and inflicted irreparable damage to the country’s reputation.
Shehbaz, while referring to an audio leak revealing a conversation between then-prime minister Imran Khan and ex-principal secretary Azam Khan about using the classified diplomatic cable for political purposes, said the episode had badly damaged Pakistan’s relations with the friendly countries.
“The audio tells all. Is there any doubt yet as to who hatched the conspiracy? Who are the real conspirators? It was Imran Khan and his cronies,” the prime minister said.
He said sans the audio leak, the ambiguity could prevail for years but Allah blessed the nation by exposing Imran Khan’s “fraud, deceit and worst conspiracy” against Pakistan.
He said the coalition government is trying to revive bit-by-bit the ties with other countries damaged by the ex-premier. “It was the worst dishonesty and played a game with the nation’s confidence and hurt the national integrity. This is unprecedented in the country’s history,” he remarked, rubbishing Imran Khan’s allegation of his role behind the audio leak as earlier, his own audio leak had surfaced.
Recalling the process of the vote of no-confidence against Imran Khan and the rejection of the motion by then deputy speaker, the prime minister said that Imran Khan and his party had wasted the nation’s time.
“That wicked conspiracy stands exposed without any more ambiguity. For the last four-five years, I have been saying that he [Imran Khan] is the biggest liar doing all just to serve his own interests,” he added.
He told the media that the National Security Committee, in its two leaks, categorically made it clear that the cypher had nothing to do with the conspiracy.
As regards the flood situation, the prime minister said the coalition government had spent Rs100 billion for the relief of flood-stricken population, who were being provided essential items, including tents, blankets and food. He said during the catastrophic flood situation too, Imran Khan played his negative role by maligning the government just to keep the donors from supporting the flood-hit people of Pakistan. “This is a disservice to Pakistan. This cold-hearted person did not think of the suffering humanity. He has no soft corner for the humanity,” the prime minister said.
He said the previous government also violated the agreement with the International Monetary Fund, though the government revived it successfully despite the confusion created by Imran Khan and his cronies. Asked about the appointment of next army chief, the prime minister said there was a set criteria in the law, which would be followed.
To another question, he said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Quaid Nawaz Sharif would return to Pakistan once his medical treatment was over.
Regarding the Tosha Khana case, the prime minister said the probe was underway. He assured that his government never believed in political victimization and the findings of the case would be shared with the public.
“I will not do anything contrary to facts. Institutions will do their own work. I will not interfere,” he assured.
He said in the foreign funding case, the Election Commission had quashed Imran Khan’s claims of being ‘Sadiq and Ameen’.
Asked as if the government intended to impose governor rule in Punjab to check much-talked about PTI’s long march, the prime minister said, “I will not say anything premature. However, no one is allowed to take any illegal step.”
To a question about Maryam Nawaz’s departure for England, the prime minister said the court had given her a clean chit.
Commenting about the amendments to the NAB law, Shehbaz said the PTI government introduced amendments to facilitate the 190 million pounds scam, in which the cabinet’s consent was sought on an agenda in a closed envelope. Asked to comment about the economic situation, the prime minister said the coalition government saved the country from default putting its own political position at stake.
