ISLAMABAD: Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Tuesday said the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) verdict “blatantly” exposed benefitting of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan from the prohibited foreign funding.
Addressing a joint press conference flanked by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, he said it was a landmark judgment, which was announced by the ECP after eight- year long proceedings and would prove to be a milestone in the country’s political history.
“It had been our demand for many years that there must be one law for all and thank the Almighty the PTI leaders have also realized it now as they have got their throats dried while making this demand,” he added.
The minister said the PTI during its government had unleashed a one sided trial of its opponents.
He alleged,” The foreign agent [Imran Khan], who himself received funding from the US nationals, Britishers, Canadians, Indians, Israelis and others, has been calling his rivals as agents of foreign powers”.
The decision would have its implications in future, he said. The National Assembly members had been disqualified for not declaring mere Rs 40,000, and PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif for not declaring Rs10,000, he added.
Khawaja Asif said the PTI leadership praised the courts for favourable decrees and otherwise crticised them if their verdicts were against them.
He said Sikander Sultan Raja was proposed for the post of chief election commissioner. Former defence minister Pervez Khattak had given him a chit in the parliament bearing his name, he claimed.
“I was an eye-witness to Sikander Sultan Raja’s nomination for CEC. After Khattak’s message, we approved his name after consultation within the party.”
Imran Khan’s claim that he had nothing to do with Raja’s nomination was totally wrong, he added.
Khawaja Asif alleged that Imran Khan had damaged the very foundations of the country under a design.
“Nawaz Sharif was disqualified for not taking Rs10,000 from his son and Imran Khan had received millions of dollars from abroad,” he added. The authorities would now start his accountability after the ECP verdict, the minister said.
Khawaja Asif condoled the martyrdom of Corps Commander Quetta Lieutenant General Sarfaraz Ali along with five other officials on board an army helicopter that had crashed during flood relief operations on Monday.
He said Lt General Sarfaraz was a brilliant officer with an illustrious career and its was a great loss for the nation. “We and our party share sympathies with the families of martyrs. We are indebted to them for their sacrifices, and remembering their sacrifice is a great tribute to them.”
