What will be a bigger crime than a PM saying ‘I have bought five votes’: PM Shehbaz
LAHORE, Oct 08 (SABAH): Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday fired off another broadside at his predecessor Imran Khan, calling him a “fraud and a liar” as he excoriated the PTI chief for “bidding in the PM House”.
“Pakistan’s prime minister was bidding [for people] in the PM house,” PM Shehbaz Shairf said while talking to media persons after appearing in money laundering case in Lahore’s Special Central Court. Special Court (Central-I), Ijaz Hassan Awan conducted hearing of the money laundering case against PM Shehbaz Sharif, Hamza Shehbaz Sharif and other accused.
“He had set up a market of buying and selling and consciences were being sold. Could there be a bigger crime than this by a sitting PM,” the prime minister asked as he referred to the recent audio leaks in which Imran can be allegedly heard speaking buying “five”.
On Friday two more damning audio tapes purportedly featuring the PTI chief came to the fore, suggesting his plans for horse-trading of parliamentarians and using a “US cipher” to brand those who would vote against him in April’s confidence vote as traitors.
“He himself is saying that he bought five votes, from where did the money come, such a big crime, what will be a bigger crime than a PM saying ‘I have bought five votes’.
“From where did you arrange the money, from the national treasury or Farah Gogi and others giving jewels? From where?”
Shehbaz Sharif said that the PTI chief was answerable to the nation. “I have proved through facts that you are a fraud and liar. “You conspired against the nation […] the audios that have surfaced have shown your drama and lies.”
The premier went on to lambaste Imran Khan for “lying day and night and bringing disrepute to Pakistan”. “The way our relations with the US were destroyed […] we are now making efforts to mend relations. I have never ever seen a bigger conspiracy against Pakistan […] he is an example of the worst kind of mindset in the world.
“And I feel compelled to say that I have not seen in my life a bigger liar, conspirer, deceiver, and one with a fraud mentality,” he reiterated.
PM Shehbaz Sharif then urged the nation to think. “When we came into the government, we were at the brink of default. But we prevented that […] these are the bitter truths.”
Shehbaz Sharif said all resources will be utilized for welfare of people and development of the country. The Prime Minister said PML-N and allied parties came into power through constitutional process to save national economy and country from bankruptcy.
He said the dollar value is now declining gradually with the blessings of Almighty Allah and due to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s prudent economic policies.
The Prime Minister said every citizen should respect the law and he appeared in court hearing today to show his respect to law.
He said NAB summoned PML-N Quaid, Nawaz Sharif several times, who also attended over 100 court hearings along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif but never asked for NRO. He said that Pakistan achieved growth and progress during the tenures of Nawaz Sharif as Prime Minister.
Terming PTI Chairman a liar Shehbaz Sharif said Imran Khan should be held accountable for his baseless propaganda regarding cipher as well as Panama papers.
Reacting to the allegations leveled by the PTI, the prime minister said that Maryam was acquitted on merit. Neither Maryam was given NRO, nor she benefited from amendments in NAB law, he added.
He, however, accused Imran Khan of giving NRO to his sister, Aleema Khan, and Farah Gogi during his tenure. He also accused the former government of corruption worth hundreds of billion in the BRT project.
Terming Imran Khan the world’s most fraudster person, the prime minister asked why the then NAB chairman did not take notice of £190 million robbery.
He accused the PTI chair of hatching a conspiracy against the nation and asked where did you get money to buy the conscience of five lawmakers? “Imran Niazi Now you have to answer the nation,” the PM added.
Meanwhile the counsel representing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday concluded his arguments in the premier’s acquittal application while arguments by the counsel of former Punjab chief minister Muhammad Hamza Shahbaz Sharif are yet to be completed in the Rs16 billion money laundering case.
As the proceedings commenced, Advocate Muhammad Amjad Pervez argued that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had removed the allegation of Rs9 billion from the challan which was submitted.
He informed the court that the FIA had told them that the allegation regarding the five bank accounts, amounting to Rs9 billion, were not linked either to the premier or his son Suleiman Shehbaz and belonged to another accused, Mushtaq Cheeni, against whom an investigation was not initiated.
“Those false tales of the kickbacks mentioned in the FIR had not been made part of the challan,” Pervez further told the court.
Advocate Pervez quoted as reference the decision of Mooni Elahi’s recent case, adding this case is also similar in nature. The judge asked about the similarity between the two, to which Pervez replied that Elahi’s case also revolves around the allegation of transferring money through employees with lesser wages.
He further informed the court that PM Shehbaz and Hamza could not be punished as the record which had been collected or submitted before the court during the previous government, could not be relied upon.
Meanwhile, the premier took the rostrum and told the court that he had not been drawing his salary and TADA allowances during his last three tenures when he was serving as chief minister of Punjab.
“This amount is in millions, so how could I even think of earning more money fraudulently?”
FIA registered a case against PM Shehbaz and his sons Hamza and Suleman in November 2020 under sections 419, 420, 468, 471, 34 and 109 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and r/w 3/4 of Anti Money Laundering Act.
It is pertinent to mention that the FIA in December 2021 had submitted the challan against Shehbaz and Hamza over their alleged involvement in the Rs16billion money laundering case.
The FIA’s report revealed 28 benami accounts of the Shehbaz family, which were found by the investigation team.
The agency also examined the money trail of 17,000 credit transactions. The report added up that the amount was kept in hidden accounts and given to Shehbaz in a personal capacity.
The FIA alleged that the money received from the accounts of low-wage employees by Shehbaz had been transferred outside Pakistan through hundi, giving benefits to his family.