Imran Khan thinks Nawaz is not Sharif enough to remain PM

• PTI chairman demands PM set up an independent judicial commission under sitting chief justice of Pakistan or resign from post as he has lost ‘moral standing’
• Says if PM doesn’t set up commission, he will announce next plan of action on April 24; says PTI may besiege Nawaz’s residence in Raiwind

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday laid down his party’s plan of action to force Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to launch an enquiry into the so-called Panama Leaks, saying the PM must establish a commission headed by the chief justice of Pakistan or he must step down – otherwise, he would announce the future course of action on the PTI’s Foundation Day on April 24, which may include besieging Nawaz’s estate in Raiwind.

While the opposition parties have roundly criticised the prime minister and the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) since the release of the Panama Papers, the opposition has still not come up with a joint plan of action or a demand from the government, something the government officials are keen to point out.

While both PTI and PPP have rejected a commission headed by a retired judge, which the PM had offered in his speech last week, the PTI wants the commission to be headed by a sitting judge, while there have been calls from the PPP that a forensic audit firm should first be engaged to investigate the full extent of the crime, as neither a sitting nor a retired judge can perform this task.

Imran Khan, who has appeared the more credible opposition leader in recent days – with most of the government’s misdirected hits also aimed at him – was clear about what he wanted to happen next.

“We will announce our next plan of action on April 24 (PTI’s 20th Foundation Day) and surround Raiwind to stage a sit-in there if our demand of a judicial commission under a sitting judge is not met.”

“The commission should also include white-collar-crime experts and an audit firm that follows the trail of money to determine where it leads,” Imran added.

“We will surround Raiwind with millions of people to press the premier to either constitute an independent judicial commission or step down,” the PTI chairman said in his “address to the nation” on Sunday.

“We will stage a sit in outside the Prime Minister’s House in Raiwind. Let me tell you it will not be a protest the PTI alone. We will gather hundreds of thousands of people from all of Pakistan and from all political parties,” the PTI chief warned.

He added that “the premier has lost the moral authority to continue running the affairs of the state as he is accused of money-laundering, tax evasion, corruption and concealing assets”.

He said the prime minister had been implicated in a number of cases where he could even be jailed.

THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW:

Imran promised the nation he will not back off this time and continue to push for the demands.

“We ended the dharna because of a horrific incident [Army Public School massacre]. But this time we will not retreat, we will go to Raiwind.”

“We are giving you time until April 24 to meet our demands,” the PTI chairman said while mentioning an ongoing global probe on the revelations.

The PTI chairman urged the nation to take benefit of the defining moment and rise against the corrupt rulers.

“This is the time to rise and if the masses do not struggle at this time, everything is bound to be destroyed,” the PTI chairman added.

“The money hidden abroad through offshore companies is not a secret anymore and demands that a struggle be waged against the wrongdoing.”

Panama Leaks are a gift from Allah and the “Umpire has raised His finger,” he added.

IMPUNITY OF THE THIEVES:

Khan regretted that the PML-N government had taken to blackmailing a welfare hospital in service of their political ends.

“They [the government] are not talking about the serious allegations against them but have taken to attacking Shaukat Khanum hospital. Will our institutions silently observe all of this? Where is the FBR, FIA and NAB?”

Khan referred to British Prime Minister David Cameron three times during his speech, and said that Cameron was not blaming his opposition for the accusations and, in fact, had offered details of his taxes in order to clear his name.

“But in Pakistan, where the ruling family who owns offshore accounts and has admitted having offshore assets is blaming a charity hospital to save their skins.”

Imran Khan said that the people in Iceland took to streets after the Panama Leaks made allegations against their prime minister. He said the Icelandic people are engaging in jihad.

He added that PM Nawaz Sharif tried to mislead the nation through his address.

Imran said he is the real opposition leader in the country as his party was secured the second largest number of votes in the country in 2013 elections.

‘ADDRESS TO THE NATION’:

Regarding the government refusal to let him deliver his speech on Pakistan Television, Imran said that “being the head of the second largest party of the country, I had the right to address the nation”.

But despite the fact that the speech was being telecast on private TV channels and not on the state-run TV, the party, including its social media accounts branded the speech as “address to the nation” – something the government spokesmen did not fail to make fun of.

On Friday, the government rejected the PTI’s demand to broadcast Imran Khan’s speech live on state television, saying only the President and the PM have that right.

In a letter to Pakistan Television, Imran had asked for the permission to “respond to the baseless allegations on Shaukat Khanum Hospital and explain his position on the Panama Leaks”.

A massive leak of 11.5 million tax documents on April 3 exposed the secret offshore dealings of world leaders and celebrities, also naming three of the premier’s children for owning London real estate through offshore companies.