Sharifs not removing Dar from office to keep his mouth shut: Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday claimed that the “Sharif mafia” fears that if Ishaq Dar is removed from the seat of finance minister, he would spill the beans regarding money laundering that they have allegedly been involved in.

In a tweet, Khan called incumbent  Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi a puppet of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif, and lashed out at him for not removing Dar from public office.

He said, “Sharif mafia’s front man & absconder from justice facing multiple charges of corruption & money laundering”.

Shocking! Puppet of NS, PM Abbasi, can’t remove FM Dar the Sharif mafia’s front man & absconder from justice facing multiple charges of corruption & money laundering, simply bec Sharif mafia petrified he may spill more beans abt their money laundering post his earlier confession

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 19, 2017

In retaliation to Khan’s tweet, deposed premier’s daughter Maryam Nawaz said puppet is a word synonymous with the PTI chief, enquiring on whose advice had he posted Sunday’s tweet.

Puppet is a word synonymous with you. Aaj ye tweet kerne ka hukam mila hai ? https://t.co/aWj6Dhb3fU

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) November 19, 2017

With the pressure mounting on the finance minister to step down in light of the graft reference filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau, reports of Dar’s resignation emerged again on Saturday after being earlier denied by the PML-N.

While Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb in a media talk denied all such reports terming them baseless, while a statement issued by the PM House statement stated that keeping in view Dar’s health and ongoing treatment abroad, as per cabinet rules, the finance ministry portfolio would be looked after by the prime minister.

PM ABBASI IS POWERLESS: Meanwhile, PTI spokesman Fawad Chaudhry questioned the prime minister’s authority, saying PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi cannot even terminate the services of his private personal servant, so how can he remove the Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Fawad said the government was being run by Nawaz Sharif.

Taking a jibe at Nawaz’s claims of innocence, he said Nawaz Sharif responds to each and every question as conspiracy, without even disclosing what the conspiracy is. If his disqualification really was a conspiracy, how “30,000 million rupees” landed in his account, Fawad concluded.