Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) decision has proved that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan is involved in corrupt practices.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore on Saturday, he said that if the law had declared Imran Khan guilty of corruption and corrupt practices, the matter could not be decided on roads by burning tyres or violence, but through legal battles and in courts. He said that instead of approaching the courts, the type of violence being committed by them showed that they were guilty and wanted to get decision in their favour through the use of force. He said that Imran Khan had worn many masks and the rule of law was one of those, adding that Imran had a mindset which did not recognise any constitution and law.
The minister said that the decision against the PTI chief had come with consensus and all members of the commission unanimously found Imran Khan guilty of corruption, adding that it was for the first time in the history of Pakistan that a prime minister had been disqualified for corrupt practices. He said that Panama case was made against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, but no evidence of corruption came to the fore against him in the matter despite formation of joint investigation team, adding that Nawaz Sharif was not disqualified in Panama but on the charge of not receiving AED 10,000 salary from his son. He said that on the basis of Yousaf Raza Gilani case, Imran Khan should have been disqualified when he did not get implemented Supreme Court orders about the Punjab local bodies elections for seven months and violated the court orders. He said that the PTI chief had not been disqualified over violation of the Supreme Court order and receiving salary from his son, but for the offence of corrupt practices and for embezzlement in official gifts, received by him as premier. “We asked Imran Khan many times that he used to pay about Rs150,000 as income tax till 2018, but suddenly his income tax hiked to Rs9 million level.
