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June 16, 2017

Puppet games have come to an end: PM

Says not facing corruption charges; business matters of his family probed; Constitution, democracy and even national security will be jeopardised if special agenda factories trampling people’s mandate do not wind up their business; his family repeatedly held accountable by PPP, Musharraf

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, while creating history by appearing before the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) of the Supreme Court on the PanamaLeaks case, here on Thursday said afterwards that puppet games have come to an end now.

The prime minister warned that if the special-agenda factories, trampling the mandate of the people, do not wind up their business now, then not only the Constitution and democracy, but national security would also be jeopardised.

An obvious hint about the malicious campaign against his government, he vowed that “we will not let the wheel of history turn in the opposite direction. The days of games behind the scenes are now over”.

Nawaz Sharif said his appearance before the JIT was a milestone for rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution. He said charges against him had nothing to do with embezzlement of national exchequer, as all conspiracies against him and his family would be foiled. “The charges against me are not about any corruption, but are related to my private family business,” he said. The prime minister said his family has always faced ruthless accountability in the past and will succeed again despite the allegations and conspiracies of his opponents. Nawaz said he had served the nation thrice as the prime minister of the country and earlier served the Punjab province as the chief minister and throughout these years initiated projects worth billions of rupees in Punjab and all over Pakistan. “I brought investment in the country that was unprecedented in 65 years. My opponents have never ever been able to prove any issue of kickbacks or commission, or even bring to the fore any shred of evidence against me,” he added. He said that people of Pakistan need to understand that whatever was happening today had nothing to do with any corruption or embezzlement of the national exchequer, but it is the personal and private business of his family that is being dragged.

The prime minister, who was flanked by his son Hussain Nawaz and Hamza Shahbaz, said that in the next few days, the JIT and the Supreme Court of Pakistan will give their verdict, but everyone should remember that the next public court and JIT will comprise 200 million Pakistanis and everyone will have to present themselves before them. “It will act as the Supreme Court,” he said, adding that beyond that there is Allah Almighty who is over and beyond such institutions, and knows fully well the obvious and the hidden. The prime minister said the country has already paid a heavy price for conspiracies. “It is now time that the emblem of truth and right be upheld,” he said.

The premier said never before in the history of the country, three generations of a family were held accountable the way his family was being done.He said the present process of accountability has been extended to period beyond his birth. Nawaz said he and his family have repeatedly been subjected to merciless accountability but no allegation of corruption had ever been proved. He expressed the confidence that the outcome of the ongoing inquiry would not be different as he and his family have done nothing wrong. He pointed out that the first accountability of his family began in 1972 when their assets were nationalised. “Then the PPP government pursued the policy of victimisation of our family but could not find anything wrong,” he said.

Nawaz said had there been any evidence of corruption against him or his family, then Musharraf would not have instituted a false case of plane hijacking against him. Nawaz said he was here today as being the prime minister, he was under the obligation of the Constitution. He said his family would succeed against all odds and conspiracies and the people would stand with him in the next general elections with more enthusiasm than they showed in 2013.

The prime minister said he has much more to say but added, “I will say more in the days ahead. There may be many questions, and I too have a lot to say but will save it for the next time.”

 

Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk

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