Marriyum Aurangzeb challenges Imran Khan to name agencies & people briefed him about alleged PPP & PML-N graft
ISLAMABAD, August 19 (SABAH): Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Marriyum Aurangzeb has challenged the former premier and Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan to name the agencies and the people who he claims briefed him about the alleged graft committed by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
She said this while addressing a press conference here on Friday. “Who used to give you the reports? Who used to tell you all these things? Name them,” she pressed.
The information minister recalled that the PTI chairman had passed similar comments regarding the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. “You said the agency had given you guarantees about the CEC. Who had given you the guarantees? What did they say? And why were you receiving guarantees?”
She went on to say that Imran Khan said that he used to receive reports from agencies. “Did you ask for those reports? And who from the agencies gave you reports?
She commented “Imran Khan Sahab, stop this drama and lies. If you have the courage, tell us who from what agency used to give you reports on PPP and PML-N,” she added.
She asked Imran to reveal the guarantees that were given to him, asking if those were given for not declaring Imran a “foreign agent or the PTI a foreign-funded party?”
Marriyum Aurangzeb then said that Imran always hurl accusations against others while refuses to give answers himself, and asked him to appear before the courts and provide evidence to validate those accusations.
“You slung mud on other people, and you say the agencies were giving you briefings? Do you have any shame?” she questioned. “You made a joke of such a big country’s democracy. Do you think your sins will be forgiven if you say agencies were giving you briefings? Then take their names.”
The minister recalled that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif appeared in courts even when his wife was on her deathbed. “Even after being removed, he talked about respecting the vote.
“He attended hearings every day but never said that he would set the country on fire or break it into pieces,” she said. “He, instead, said that the institutions should stay out of politics.”
Marriyum Aurangzeb said that after the no-confidence vote, Imran “begged the neutrals to protect him.” “But when the institutions played the role of neutrals, which is a line sketched by the Constitution you are now, once again, asking them to help you and save your false politics.” “Give answers on the foreign funding, nothing can divert attention from this now. You will have to give answers, no matter how far you go,” she added.