It was rulers like Nawaz who were deceitful not masses: Imran

CHAKWAL: Referring to US President Donald Trump’s tweet that accused Islamabad of deceiving the US notwithstanding the billions of dollars that it received in aid, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief said that it was rulers like Nawaz Sharif who were deceitful and not the masses.

The PTI chief was addressing a party rally in Chakwal on Saturday.

Rulers like Nawaz indulge in money laundering to fulfill their greed, said the PTI chief, while adding that Pakistan would never have had faced such embarrassment if the government had not sought aid from the US.

Khan said that the US is blaming Pakistan for its failures in Afghanistan despite the damaging effects of the anti-terror war on the tribal areas and its people. Blaming the PML-N government for the present circumstances of the country, he said that no country or leader will respect the nation as long as the country remains indebted and keeps seeking more loans from financial institutions.

“Trump is insulting Pakistan over Rs25 billion because the country keeps taking loans,” he added.

Imran criticised former premier Nawaz Sharif and said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader was criticising the army and the judiciary “to save his ill-gotten wealth”.

“Instead of answering for his crimes, Nawaz keeps asking why he was ousted,” said the PTI chairman, further alleging that the former prime minister stole Rs300bn from the country.

On Nawaz’s trip to Saudi Arabia, Imran went on to say that Nawaz went to Saudi Arabia to request the royal family there to save him.

The PTI chairman alleged that the two towers in UAE, owned by the Dar family, were worth Rs25 billion. He further said that Pakistanis have invested Rs800 billion in UAE’s property market over the last four years, which was the people’s money, being stolen and taken out of the country.

Elaborating on his party’s conduct if it wins the upcoming polls, Imran said that Pakistan, being a self-sufficient country, will gather the money it needs from within Pakistan. He added that the infrastructure projects developed by the Punjab government were not needed, as the need of the hour was to provide employment to the youth.

“What they [Sharif family] did to the people of Pakistan, even our enemies would not do such things to us,” said Imran.

Earlier, addressing a press conference at his Bani Gala residence on Friday, Imran had criticised the incumbent government after the US cut military aid to the country and questioned why the prime minister was not active in handling the situation.

Rejecting the recent US move to curtail aid to Pakistan for its alleged failure to cooperate in the war against terrorism, Imran blamed the country’s political leadership for Pakistan’s present state of crisis.

The PTI chief alleged that country’s leadership was itself portraying a negative image, hence, why “would the US be any different”. He added that the Sharif brothers were belittling the country to save themselves and their ill-gotten wealth.

“When the country’s leadership itself passes negative statements, why would anyone else stand with the country,” he said.

Referring to Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, Imran said that when Asif visits foreign countries, he claims that the PML-N is liberal while the PTI is with the religious parties.