Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday castigated PTI Chairman Imran Khan, calling him a \u201ccertified thief\u201d after the latter\u2019s disqualification in the Toshakhana reference for making \u201cfalse statements and incorrect declaration\u201d.<\/p>\n
He expressed the views while addressing a news conference in Lahore alongside Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and adviser Attaullah Tarar.<\/p>\n
Commenting on Imran\u2019s disqualification, PM Shehbaz said that his predecessor had been proven to be a \u201ccertified liar and a thief\u201d. However, he cautioned that this was not a moment of happiness, but one of \u201creflection\u201d.<\/p>\n
He alleged that Imran came into power after the \u201cworst rigging\u201d, adding that the PTI chief auctioned off state gifts after claiming the proceeds would go to the treasury.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe nation would have saluted you if you had deposited money from selling state gifts in the treasury. I would\u2019ve too despite being your political opponent,\u201d he said, adding that Imran had disrespected Pakistan.<\/p>\n
Comparing himself to Imran, PM Shehbaz said that he had once told a court that he received a letter from the Cabinet Division about being able to buy a state gift after paying a certain amount.<\/p>\n
\u201cI answered back to the letter saying, \u2018No, thank you\u2019 and deposited [the gift] in the Toshakhana.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that state gifts were now being displayed at the Prime Minister House to dispel the impression that they go missing. \u201cNow, I have them [displayed] in PM House so the people know who sold the gifts and pocketed the money.\u201d<\/p>\n
PM Shehbaz said that disrespecting the country in this manner was a \u201cvery serious thing\u201d. There is nothing worse than a prime minister selling state gifts without having them valued and pocketing the cash, he said.<\/p>\n
He went on to say that the person accusing others of being a thief had today been proven a \u201ccertified thief\u201d.<\/p>\n
The prime minister alleged that Imran\u2019s Banigala residence was constructed in violation of rules and regulations, which the PTI chief later regularised. \u201cBut he then went to Raiwind to demolish my mother\u2019s home. This is the [extent] of his revenge.\u201d<\/p>\n
The premier also took exception to the assertion by PTI leaders that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif had \u201cwritten\u201d the electoral watchdog\u2019s verdict against Imran. By that argument, did Imran pen the decision which led to Nawaz\u2019s disqualification, he questioned.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday castigated PTI Chairman Imran Khan, calling him a \u201ccertified thief\u201d after the latter\u2019s disqualification in the Toshakhana reference for making \u201cfalse statements and incorrect declaration\u201d. He expressed the views while addressing a news conference in Lahore alongside Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and adviser Attaullah Tarar. Commenting on Imran\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":290892,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[11195,1488,2833,5822,11196],"class_list":["post-290891","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-top-news","tag-certified-thief","tag-disqualification","tag-imran-khan","tag-pm-shehbaz-sharif","tag-toshakhana-case"],"yoast_head":"\n