LAHORE: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif has demanded legal action and daily court proceedings against Imran Khan after a report of the election commission’s scrutiny committee and said that the PTI hid millions of rupees.

“A person who hides facts, steals and lies, cannot hold constitutional, government or political office,” the PML-N president said in a statement shared by the PML-N on Twitter.

“If the law can apply to a popular leader like Nawaz Sharif, why not Imran Niazi,” asked Shehbaz. He said, “If a Panama Papers JIT can be formed against Nawaz Sharif, and can be overseen by the honourable judges of the Supreme Court, then why can this not be done for Imran Niazi?”

The opposition leader said that under the Constitution of Pakistan and its laws, no thief can be a Prime Minister. “Imran Niazi, who has been proven a thief and a liar under the law, must resign,” he added.

Shehbaz said that the Constitution, law and political code of conduct dictates that PM Imran Khan should step down from office. “The ECP’s scrutiny committee has said that Imran Niazi is neither honest nor trustworthy,” he added.

The PML-N president demanded that a probe be initiated against PM Imran Khan and his case be heard on a daily basis like that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He said equal treatment under the Constitution and law is a fundamental tenet of Pakistan’s laws. “The ECP’s scrutiny committee has charged Imran Niazi and his party under the law,” he said. He said the country is operating “without a (real) Prime Minister”, and is being governed under a “constitutional and legal vacuum. Under the law and Constitution, Imran Niazi cannot decide on the country’s affairs.”

Shehbaz also demanded a review of the deal with the International Monetary Fund and the supplementary finance bill. He also called for all those named in ECP’s report to resign, and for legal action “without delay” against four PTI employees, as well all others involved in accepting foreign funding for the party.

Shehbaz said he will “speak to the Opposition” regarding “grave constitutional vacuum” that the ECP’s findings have led to. “All parties and workers that have faith in the Constitution and the law will have to play their part in bringing Pakistan out of this constitutional vacuum,” he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021