Imran rejects rumours of ‘deal’ with corrupt

baloki (nankana sahib) — Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday said that there would be no concession for the corrupt elements as his government was determined for an above-board accountability of all.

Ruling out the possibility of an NRO-like legislation, he said that those who had made the country bankrupt and those who had been involved in corruption, would not be allowed to walk away.

He was addressing a ceremony in Baloki to launch the spring tree plantation drive “Plant for Pakistan’.

A National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) was issued by former president Pervez Musharraf in 2007, under which amnesty was granted to politicians, political workers and bureaucrats who were accused of corruption, money laundering, murder, and terrorism. It was later declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Expressing wonder over functioning of opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman despite being in jail on corruption charges, the prime minister said he had never come across such a thing in a democratic system. “It has never been imagined in a democracy,” he added.

Imran said the government had

tried its level-best to accommodate the opposition and let parliament work. But now onwards, the government would no longer give any concession to corrupt elements.

Taking a jab at Shahbaz Sharif, Imran said those who had been facing NAB cases were summoning the NAB authorities. The opposition was raising a hue and cry in parliament just to divert attention from their corruption, he added.

Comparing the previous regimes with the PTI government, the prime minister said three ministers resigned when faced with corruption allegations within the first five months of his government instead of holding on to their portfolios. “This is called change,” he added.

On the other hand, those involved in using fake bank accounts

to siphon off billions of rupees and owning illegal properties abroad had no courage to resign.

The prime minister said previously it had never been imagined that influential people would be held accountable for their deeds.

“NROs gave the impression that powerful thieves are not apprehended,” he added.

The prime minister said the two NROs given to corrupt lelments caused huge financial losses. One NRO was granted by Gen Musharraf to Nawaz Sharif in the Hudabya corruption case which paved the way for a safe passage for Nawaz Sharif.

In the second NRO related to former president Asif Ali Zardari, Imran said over Rs2 billion had been spent on pursuing the Swiss cases. —