ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has put Pakistan’s foreign policy, constitution, and interests at stake to save his skin as well as conceal his corruption.

Iqbal while talking to reporters after appearing before Accountability Court in Narowal Sport City Complex Project (NSCCP) case, about the current political situation said that the Constitution is the foundation of any state. If the Constitution is abrogated then the State will become irrelevant, he said, adding that it was the responsibility of every Pakistani to stands firm for the protection of the Constitution of Pakistan as the protection of the Constitution is the protection of the country.

Iqbal hoped that the Supreme Court of Pakistan will restore the supremacy of the Constitution and will order sending Khan and others who abrogated the Constitution immediately to jail. He said that the theft of Khan has been proven in foreign funding case. “Khan across the world and especially in America collected funds through illegal means and used it for achieving his objectives.”

Khan is facing two investigations in America, he said, adding that one case is related to funds raising through illegal means and sending it to Pakistan through illegal channels.

Similarly, Khan may also face investigation in the punishment of Arif Naqvi of Abraaj group. Naqvi was one of the big donors of Khan, he said, adding that Khan has resorted to anti-Americanism and made claims about a foreign-funded conspiracy against his government in order to avert possible action against him as per American laws.

“Khan, you become involved in illegal activities and received illegal funding, but to save your skin and escape accountability, you have put Pakistan’s foreign policy at stake”, he said.

He further said that Khan claimed US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu issued a threat against his government in a conversation with Pakistan Ambassador to Washington Asad Majeed on March 7, but the same Donald Lu was invited to a Pakistan embassy event on March 15 as a keynote speaker.

“If Donald Lu was threatening your government and interfering in the internal affairs of Pakistan on March 7, how did he become the keynote speaker at an event in the Pakistan embassy?” he asked.

Iqbal further asked Khan that what measures you have taken between March 7 and March 27, the conspiracy against Pakistan did not come to light within these 20 days, no action has been taken in this regard and even the American ambassador was not summoned.

But suddenly when his allies parties left him in the vote of no confidence filed against him by the opposition and he received the news from the United States that an investigation against him could be launched over “illegal accounts, your fund-raising, and your money laundering” he saw the foreign conspiracy theory and put Pakistan’s foreign policy at stake. Iqbal said that Khan has destroyed Pakistan’s relations with four key economic partners, China, the European Union, the United States, and the Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia. Khan sold gifts received from the Gulf nations on the market, he said.

Earlier, he and other accused appeared before Accountability Court-III judge Syed Asghar Ali in the NSCCP case. National Accountability Bureau (NAB) prosecutor Wasim Javed and prosecution witness Izhar Ahmad appeared before the court. At the start of the hearing, the judge inquired of Iqbal’s counsel that are you ready for cross examination of the witness.

He replied that his client had challenged the Accountability Court’s judgment regarding dismissal of his acquittal application in Islamabad High Court (IHC) and the IHC will hear it today. On this, the judge said that come after hearing of the IHC and conduct cross examination of the witness.

Later, the court was informed that Zulfiqar Naqvi counsel for Iqbal was unable to appear before it as he was busy in the IHC in the matter of petition against the dismissal of Iqbal’s acquittal application. The court adjourned hearing of the case till April 26.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022