- PTI chief says Parliament and PM House owe millions of rupees in utility bills yet only his electricity supply was disconnected on a seven-day notice
- Lashes out at HRCP for criticising sit-in protest; raises eyebrows at outfit’s ‘agenda’
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday lamented that electricity supply to his Bani Gala residence was disconnected for not paying the utility bill for a month, but Parliament and Prime Minister’s House, who owe millions of rupees in outstanding bills, continue to get uninterrupted power supply.
Addressing his supporters at D-Chowk, Khan quoted a PEPCO report which said that his power connection was cut on a seven-day notice but the same wasn’t true for others who did not pay their power bills.
“PEPCO report says Parliament House owes Rs 12.6 million, while PM House has to pay Rs 6.5 million,” claimed the PTI chairman, adding that the Presidency owed Rs 10.8 in power bills.
He criticised Nawaz Sharif for adopting a lavish lifestyle in the PM House while the poor in the country were dying of hunger. He said that exporters were unable to capitalise on GSP plus because of inadequate power supply.
Imran said even PEPCO owed Rs 556 billion to the government, as it had to collect Rs 384 billion from ‘influential men’ who were not paying their bills. “Yet, no one dares to cut their connection,” he said.
The PTI leader also hurled barbs at former president Asif Zardari, saying that he was making millions, without any known sources of income. “He’s amassing a lot of wealth but no one knows his source of income,” he said. “Why don’t you lecture the youth on how to make money, without working?
Responding to statements by the HRCP that sit-ins in the country had diverted attention away from other more important issues, Imran said he and his party were aware of human rights, and in fact the sit-in was empowering and instilling a sense of awareness among the people.
“What is your agenda,” he said while referring to the rights organisation. “What have you done for the Pakistani citizens, and what is your source of income.”
He said he knew how to raise the 110 million Pakistanis from poverty, and did not want anyone to ‘teach’ him and his party about human rights.