PM spent Rs12b on self-projection from state kitty: Imran

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan claimed the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has spent at least Rs12 billion on publicity campaigns from the national treasury, saying his government could have utilised the funds on improving the health sector in the country.

Khan was addressing his supporters at a rally in Kasur, Punjab on Sunday.

The PTI chief accused the PM of lying in the Parliament while speaking regarding his properties and finances, saying if a leader in a western democracy would have lied in the parliament, he would be dispelled immediately.

“The education budget of Balochistan is around Rs15bn,” added the PTI chief, accusing leaders of spending taxpayers’ money on self-promotion and being apathetic to the socio-economic woes faced by the public.

He claimed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is not going to escape in the Panama Leaks case being heard by the Supreme Court.

“It is for the first time in the history of Pakistan that a serving prime minister is being held accountable for corruption,” the PTI chairman said.

The apex court’s decision in the ongoing Panamagate case will have far reaching consequences on Pakistan’s future.

“No country can progress if its rulers are corrupt,” he added.

He said that present rulers have been in power for nearly 30 years, but the situation in public hospitals could not be improved.

Khan also said the prime minister goes to London for medical check-ups, but does not prefer to go to government-run hospitals.

Calling Nawaz Sharif ‘the king of corruption’, Khan challenged the premier to come in the parliament and debate him on it.  “It is an open challenge to you. If you have the guts face me yourself, not through your cronies,” he said.

Imran Khan also criticised Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique by saying there have been 18 train accidents, but the minister is still serving the prime minister.