ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday ‘advised’ the masses to ‘be ready’, as the joint investigation team (JIT) probing Sharif family’s offshore assets presents its report to the Supreme Court on Monday (today).
“I am asking the nation to remain prepared…,” Imran Khan told reporters in Bani Gala. “This is a war for the future of the country as the rulers are driving it towards destruction. It seems they are aiming for a direct attack on the top court,” the PTI chairman said, adding that the premier’s name should be put on the exit control list. “[The] SC should ask PM to step down at once.”
He questioned how the PML-N could threaten to reject the report being prepared by the JIT. “PML-N is cognisant that the decision of the court is not going to come in their favour, and therefore has escalated their campaign against the judiciary,” he said.
A day earlier on Saturday, the top PML-N leadership had made it clear that the ruling party would not accept the findings of the JIT if the statements of former Qatari prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al-Thani were not made part of the report.
Sheikh Hamad had reportedly sent a second letter asking the JIT to record his statement at his palace before submitting its final report to the Supreme Court (SC). The JIT, however, informed the Qatari billionaire that he must either appear in person at its secretariat at the Federal Judicial Academy, Islamabad, or testify through video link from Pakistan’s embassy in Doha.
The PTI chief implied that PML-N’s decision to reject the JIT report was out of fear that the investigation would lead to the disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
“The Supreme Court did not create the JIT for them [the Sharif family]. How did they say that they won’t accept the JIT? The JIT has to report to the SC, not them,” Khan thundered.
“Were they unaware two months ago that the Qatari’s letter would become scrap paper unless he appeared in court?” the PTI chief asked. “Why didn’t they ask him to appear earlier?”
Now, one day before the report is to be submitted to the SC, the PML-N leaders are saying that they will not accept it, Khan said.
The PTI chief claimed that although various members of Sharif family who appeared before the JIT went into the secretariat smiling and waving, they came out with frowns on their faces, complaining about him [Khan] and how the JIT did not answer their questions. “What is evident from their faces when they come out is that they know the JIT investigation has reached a point where Nawaz Sharif is going to be disqualified.”
Imran said that the ruling party had termed the alleged attempts to remove the current prime minister from his post ‘a conspiracy against democracy’, adding, “But they won’t accept the SC decision.”
“A conspiracy cannot stem from two institutions: the Supreme Court and the Army. Now they are after these two institutions,” he alleged. “And yesterday, you said the same to the JIT.”
According to the PTI chief, he had called the press conference “because I think they will try to directly attack the Supreme Court.” He called on the nation and the lawyers to help prevent such an occurrence. “When you attack institutions, you ruin the country. One family is trying to save its corruption by ruining the country,” he said. “They know they have lost this case.”
The PTI chairman had earlier said the ruling party were threatening and verbally abusing the probing team after failing to buy its loyalties. He has also called upon the premier to resign until an investigation into the matter is complete.
The JIT is expected to submit its report on Monday (today). PML-N leaders, including Khawaja Asif and Khawaja Saad Rafique, also addressed party workers on Sunday, and showed support for their leaders ahead of the JIT report.
Published in Daily Times, July 10th , 2017.
