PTI govt has ‘nothing to do with’ Broadsheet issue

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan said his government has nothing to do with the Broadsheet issue, as Pervez Musharraf had signed the contract and later backtracked on it unilaterally by giving an NRO (amnesty) to Pakistan Muslim League-nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif.

Imran told a TV channel that his government had formed a ministerial commitee — comprising judges and lawyers — to investigate the case and suggest ways to bring back the looted public money from abroad.

He said the government had to pay $28.7 million in damages to Broadsheet or face daily markup of 5,000 pounds (Rs1100,000). He also quoted a US State Department’s report on annual money laundering of $10 billion, which made $200 billion during the last 20 years.

The prime minister said the government was compelled to pass the impact of oil prices on the international market on to the consumers to avert an increase in debt burden on the country.

Imran said the country could not afford taking more loans to keep oil prices at the minimum benchmark. He said devaluation of rupee impacted the prices of petroleum products, pulses, ghee and other imported items raising the inflation rate.

He said the dollar value had surged from Rs107 to Rs160 during the current government’s term, which contributed towards pushing the prices up. He also mentioned the expensive contracts signed by the previous government with the power producing companies with a difference of Rs3 in electricity generation and sale to the consumers.

“However, the incumbent government could not take such measures to further put the country under debt burden.”

He said the people of merged tribal districts would see a positive change vis-à-vis development of their area, as the provincial government would make huge spending there under a mega development package.

About the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) allegation against the Pakistan Tehrik-eInsaf (PTI) of geting funds from Israel and India, the prime minister reiterated that there should be an open hearing of the case be it by the Supreme Court or the Election Commission (ECP).

He said the PTI’S whole funding was legal with a complete record of donors, contrary to the opposition parties, which were unable to name their financiers. “Would I call for an open hearing (of the case) if I were frightened?” he questioned. He said the allegations of Israeli or Indian funding by an anti-pti individual were ill-intentioned and mala fide.

The premier said in the past, the opposition had its own handpicked chief election commissioner (CEC).