Imran threatens to shut capital
LAHORE: Taking his anti-graft mobilisation campaign right up to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ’s home turf, a furious Imran Khan on Friday delivered a speech that tore through the alleged corruption of the Sharifs and targeted India at the same time.
With tens of thousands of supporters watching the firebrand Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman delivering his speech at Adda plot, close to the palatial residence of Sharif in Raiwind, Imran said he would give ‘two strong messages’ — one to Nawaz over his alleged corruption and the other to Indian Premier Narendra Modi regarding threats to Pakistan.
Imran gave Sharif time till Muharram to “either present himself for accountability or allow state institutions to take action against him”, failing which the PTI will bring the federal capital to a standstill”.
Hitting out at the prime minister over his ‘corruption’ and ‘stolen money’ as revealed in the Panama Papers, Imran said he would paralyse and oust the gov- ernment in Islamabad if prime minister does not present himself for accountability till Muharram.
“The Panama leaks is not an allegation but a proof of Nawaz Sharif ’s corruption that is all out in the open. Some Rs8.5 billion have been spent on the security of Nawaz Shairf ’s Jati Umrah. The staff that PML-N have employed for Jati Umrah, is double than that of the White House,” Imran said.
Imran also warned the government that his party would not let them rule after Muharram if the prime minister is not held accountable for the Panama Papers controversy.
The much-hyped rally — which also spawned criticism from opposition groups — was aimed at announcing the party’s future strategy.
Friday’s rally is the last such political gathering called by the party against the PML-N. “We will not hold any more such rallies and instead opt for something else,” the PTI chief said.
“If the situation at the border was not tense, I would have asked you all to stay back here till we get justice,” he told the cheering crowd.
Nevertheless Imran said his party now intends to shut the federal capital and paralyse it – a reprise of its anti-rigging campaign in 2014. He took a swipe at state institutions as well, warning them that they ought to take action before the party was forced to move to Islamabad after Muharram.