Abbasi, PML-N leaders discrediting Pakistan army: Imran Khan

KARACHI: Slamming Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) leaders for what he said seeking to discredit the Pakistan’s armed forces, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Wednesday said it happens nowhere other than Pakistan where its premier and ministers criticize the military.

He was referring to the prime minister’s recent endorsement of Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif’s statement that Pakistan needs to put its own house in order and keep a close eye on banned outfits operating from within the country.

The PTI chief said it happened nowhere other than Pakistan where its chief executive and the leaders of the ruling party pointed fingers at the military. Nevertheless, the army chief had consistently asserted that the army firmly stood by democracy.

Speaking to reporters, Khan said after former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification, it was now PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari’s turn to be held accountable. People like Sharif and Zardari were the reason that Pakistan has been heavily in debt, he added.

There was no massive corruption in any other province than Sindh, the PTI chief said.

He said Nawaz Sharif destroyed state institutions responsible for conducting accountability for the sake of his own interests and appointed corrupt officials as their head. He added he didn’t criticize the PPP and PML-N, but both the leaders for “looting the national coffers and stashing away the money in foreign bank accounts.”

He advised both the parties to get rid of both the leaders.

Slamming the role of Syed Khurshid Shah as opposition leader in the National Assembly, Khan said there was no different between him and Sharif. It has never happened that the government provided funds to the opposition leader for development work in return for his friendly opposition, he added.

He criticized the role of Election Commission of Pakistan, saying it issued him a contempt of court notice but those who violated its rules in NA-120 by-election were not punished.