ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal on Monday said that former prime minister Imran Khan through his statement in which he stated that the coalition government wants to “appoint an army chief of their choice” to save their skin in graft cases, tried to make the merit system of Pakistan army controversial and tried to divide people politically.
Talking to reporters after appearing before Accountability Court-III judge Syed Asghar Ali in Narowal Sports City Complex Project (NSCCP) case he said that the way Khan attacked our army in Faisalabad public gathering, he believes that our enemy country never attacked the army in such a way.
He further said that Khan is promoting the agenda of his foreign donors.
“As per his agenda, Khan has destroyed the country’s economy, now the PTI chief is working on the agenda to destroy the country’s institutions”, he alleged, adding that sometimes he (Khan) threatens the judiciary, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), and Pakistan army; therefore, now the time has come to make Khan accountable.
Iqbal said that amid the catastrophic floods, Khan had resorted to polluting the political space.
“Imran Niazi continues to pollute the political space and push the country towards extreme polarisation and putting blots on all state institutions including the appointment of the new COAS”, he said.
He further said that now was the time to apply the justice scale applied to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders, Talal Chaudhry Daniyal Aziz, Nihal Hashmi, and former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani over Khan. The justice scale applied to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was for not taking a salary from his son the same should be applied to Khan in the foreign funding case, he said.
The minister said that Khan is trying to pressurise the courts. Khan wants to obtain NRO through big public gatherings, he said. Does Imran Khan get a license to disrespect institutions for holding large rallies? he asked.
To a question about backdoor contacts between Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan, he said that the PML-N does not believe in any contact through any channel with Khan. Khan spread different rumours for saving his skin, he said. Iqbal said that Khan has proved that he is an anarchist for the country’s democracy and constitution.
Earlier, he and other accused appeared before Accountability Court-III judge Syed Asghar Ali in the NSCCP case. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor Abid Zakir and Zulfiqar counsel for Ahsan Iqbal as well as counsel for witness Azhar Ahmad and Muhsin Raza appeared before the court.
The defense counsel requested the court to adjourn the hearing of the case due to the pendency of the petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the dismissal of the acquittal application of accused Ahsan Iqbal but the court observed that the statement of the prosecution witness will be recorded during the next hearing to be held on September 28.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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