Panamagate: Nation wants answers, not this unending drama, Imran Khan says

Published July 6, 2017
PTI Chairman Imran Khan addresses press conference in Islamabad. ─ DawnNews
PTI Chairman Imran Khan addresses press conference in Islamabad. ─ DawnNews

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan lashed out at his rivals on Thursday, saying that the nation demanded answers, not the unending drama unfolding in the wake of the Supreme-Court sanctioned Joint Investigation Team's (JIT) probe into the Sharif family's alleged corruption as brought to light in the Panama Papers last year.

Dismissing statements made by first daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif a day earlier, the PTI chief alleged that the Sharif family was "burning the country's money" by bribing the judiciary, media and other officials to hide its alleged corruption, all the while claiming it is 'saving democracy'.

"One family's corruption is being safeguarded. They've bought all the newspapers ... They've spent money on journalists, on lawyers. They are burning the country's money to hide their theft, and claiming they are saving democracy," he alleged.

"They are after the Supreme Court; they are after the military," Khan alleged. "You are destroying institutions while saying you are trying to save democracy."

"Is this what saving democracy looks like?" he asked.

"They had said, 'We are doing business, what are these accusations against us?'," Khan recalled. "Their entire business has been built up through corruption while in power," he thundered.

"These Bollywood film scenes you are acting out [are useless]. The people want answers, not drama," he said, alluding to press conferences following Sharif family members' appearances before the JIT.

The PTI chief observed that although the PML-N had raised a ruckus over the summons issued to Maryam Nawaz by the JIT, their party members were known for disrespecting women.

"What about the way their [defence] minister [Khawaja Asif] spoke about Shireen Mazari and Firdous Ashiq Awan?" Khan asked, also recalling a xenophobic smear campaign against former spouse Jemima Goldsmith which he said was launched by the PML-N.

"The entire country is with the Supreme Court," the PTI chief warned. "As soon as they [the PML-N] try anything funny ... the entire nation will be waiting for one call," he said.

"After July 10, see how the public comes out," he warned his rivals.

"The entire nation will come onto the streets," he asserted.

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