Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday challenged PTI chief Imran Khan to name the agencies and the people working in them who he claimed had briefed him on the PPP and PML-N alleged graft.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho used to give you the reports? Who used to tell you all these things? Name them,\u201d she pressed.<\/p>\n
Aurangzeb\u2019s statements come a day after the former premier claimed that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) used to tell him about the alleged corruption done by the two political parties. \u201cI started believing that the establishment would act but that did not happen,\u201d he said in a seminar yesterday.<\/p>\n
He had also urged the \u201cneutrals\u201d \u2014 a term he uses for the military establishment \u2014 to review their policies while there was still time, adding that \u201cdecisions taken behind closed doors\u201d were not in the country\u2019s favour.<\/p>\n
Addressing a news conference today, the information minister recalled that the PTI chief had passed similar comments regarding the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou said the agency had given you guarantees about the CEC [\u2026] who had given you the guarantees? What did they say? And why were you receiving guarantees?\u201d<\/p>\n
And then, Aurangzeb continued, Imran said that he used to receive reports from agencies. \u201cDid you ask for those reports? And who from the agencies gave you reports?<\/p>\n
\u201cImran Khan sahab, stop this drama and lies. If you have the courage, tell us who from what agency used to give you reports on PPP and PML-N [\u2026],\u201d she demanded.<\/p>\n
And reveal the guarantees that were given, she went on, asking if those guarantees involved not declaring Imran a \u201cforeign agent or the PTI a foreign-funded party\u201d.<\/p>\n
Marriyum then said that Imran always levelled allegations on others all the while refusing to give answers himself, appear before courts, or provide evidence to back up those accusations.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou slung mud on other people, and you say the agencies were giving you briefings? Do you have any shame?\u201d she questioned. \u201cYou made a joke of such a big country\u2019s democracy. Do you think your sins will be forgiven if you say agencies were giving you briefings? Then take their names.\u201d<\/p>\n
The minister recalled that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif appeared in courts even when his wife was on her deathbed. \u201cEven after being removed, he talked about respecting the vote.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe attended hearings every day but never said that he would set the country on fire or break it into pieces,\u201d she said. \u201cHe, instead, said that the institutions should stay out of politics.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aurangzeb alleged that after the no-confidence vote, Imran \u201cbegged the neutrals to protect him\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut when the institutions played the role of neutrals, which is a line sketched by the Constitution [\u2026] you are now, once again, asking them to help you and save your false politics\u201d.<\/p>\n
Responding to the PTI\u2019s claims of the government crackdown against journalists, she said that the largest number of violations took place in Imran\u2019s tenure.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut now you will have to answer. You keep mentioning \u2018Mr X\u2019 and \u2018Mr Y\u2019 [\u2026] take their names,\u201d the minister pushed. \u201cWe want answers, not allegations. This drama needs to come to an end now.<\/p>\n
\u201cGive answers on the foreign funding [\u2026] nothing can divert attention from this now. You will have to give answers, no matter how far you go,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday challenged PTI chief Imran Khan to name the agencies and the people working in them who he claimed had briefed him on the PPP and PML-N alleged graft. \u201cWho used to give you the reports? Who used to tell you all these things? Name them,\u201d she pressed. Aurangzeb\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":278265,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-278264","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n