Govt rejects Imran Khan’s demand to address nation on PTV

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Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday requested state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) to broadcast his ‘live’ address to the nation on Sunday night, but the government has declined the request.

According to an April 8 letter issued by the PTI Secretariat to PTV’s secretary of information, Imran Khan intends to discuss the recent “disinformation” regarding Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre during the address.

“Since the Panama Leaks have come to the fore, the prime minister, the information minister and various MNAs of the ruling PML-N have used PTV’s network to spread disinformation amongst the masses regarding Shaukat Khanum Hospital,” the PTI says.

The letter justifies Khan’s right to use of the station’s platform, saying the television network “runs solely on taxpayers’ money, which makes PTV a network of each and every Pakistani citizen”.

The PTI goes on to request PTV to “make all the necessary arrangements” for Khan’s live address to the nation. “Mr. Khan will address the nation from his office using DSNG/Live OB van.”

 

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However, later in the day while speaking to the media, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid said, “We cannot permit Imran Khan to speak live without directive from the speaker of the National Assembly.”

“If he thinks this is a case, Imran Khan is welcome to submit a request to the Supreme Court. The judicial commission has full right to enlist the help of any institution.”

Imran Khan on Monday demanded that the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) initiate a thorough investigation into the financial holdings of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members after a massive leak of secret files from a Panamanian law firm revealed they “owned or had the right to authorise transactions for several offshore companies”.

Nawaz announced the constitution of a high-level judicial commission to probe his family for wrongdoing during an address to the nation on Tuesday, the PTI called for transparency in the probe, requesting the commission be headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan.

On Monday, leaked documents from the Panama-based Mossack Fonseca law firm showed that Sharif’s daughter Mariam and sons Hussain and Hassan owned, at least, three offshore holding companies registered in the British Virgin Islands. Mossack Fonseca denied any wrongdoing.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists said these companies were involved in the purchase and mortgage of at least $13.8 million in UK properties.

One of the holding companies also purchased another, Liberia-based, holding company for $11.2 million in August 2007, according to the documents.

The documents do not show the source of the assets held by the holding companies. They are part of a tranche of 11.5 million documents leaked by the ICIJ, dubbed the ‘Panama Papers’.

Political opponents, notably Imran Khan, have accused Sharif’s family of having gained the funds illegally through corruption during his two previous stints as prime minister in the 1990s.

Sharif and his family have denied any wrongdoing, saying the assets were gained legally, mainly through the family’s network of businesses and industries in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

9 COMMENTS

  1. MAY ANGERS OF KHUDA BE UPON KAAFIRS E ISLAM GADDARS E PAKISTAN FIRANGIGULAMS NAAPAKS ..

    • God helps those who help themselves and helping themselves means being proactive, coming out on the streets en-mass to demand justice. Helping themselves means not electing corrupt rulers; god is not interested in armchair puritans and their emotional tantrums. Manna hasn't fallen from the sky since the days of prophet Moses.
      Pakistan's problem is not corrupt rulers, the root of the problem are the people of Pakistan who vote for them again again, despite the rulers consistently delivering nothing and looting to their hearts delight. When people wake up from their stupor, Pakistan will change for the better. What can god do when people have become politically suicidal?

  2. Nawaz Sharif has accumulated a lot of haram wealth over the years through corruption, cronyism and kickbacks. Allah s.w.t always exposes the filthy when their time comes!

  3. This guy Imran Khan is definitely trying to create hullabaloo in the country because he has failed to perform in KPK in 3 years.

    Wait for the next release of Panama Leaks and you will find the names of PTI financiers including Jahangir Tareen, Aleem Khan and Faisal Vawda.

    • Dude, I think either you are in love with nora league or you have misconception about KPK , Just a Quick Question Have you gone to KPK recently , if not than get you damn ass their to see how fast they are growing . looza

  4. nawaz sharif –decent family man -good muslim ..

    CHARACTLESS MORALSLESS ALCOHOLIC GAMBLER NIGHTCLUBS DALAAL CANNOT BE A GOOD MUSLIM ..

    KORAN GAWHAA HAI

  5. A man always on a wrong track concerning politics. Why don't you concentrate on issues concerning the people rather than a fruitless Leaks. Let the experts to come to conclusions rather play a dirty politics. That is one o the reason you are failure Mr Khalandra.

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