ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Defense Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Wednesday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan must face a transparent probe for selling the Toshakhana gift of an expensive wristwatch gifted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Addressing a live media talk here in Islamabad, the Defense Minister said his news conference intended to narrate the facts before the nation to provide the background for the recent scandal of Imran Khan.
Mudslinging, Vandalization of Political Rivals
He said that Imran Khan did huge mudslinging and vandalization of his political rivals during his tenure. He added that a letter pertaining to £190 million was presented in Khan’s cabinet that he secretly gave to Malik Riaz’s Bahria Foundation.
“This is not new as Imran Khan’s dishonesty continued to reveal after his ouster from power. He orchestrated hoax narrative of foreign conspiracy and backed out from his own statements.”
The way Khan perpetrated a false narrative and sold the precious gifts received from the dignitaries of a friendly country had damaged the honour and integrity of the county, he added.
“We are not in a sound state internally due to our weak economy and owing to which it has a reflection on our external relations as well”, he said.
Imran Khan Wants Pakistan to Go Default, Defense Minister
The Defense Minister alleged that Imran Khan wanted Pakistan to go default and targeted the army and its top official for satiating his personal whims. On one hand, he said Khan was following his so-called style of intimidation and on the other, he was pleading behind the doors to the Army Chief for his help during his meeting arranged by the President Dr. Arif Alvi.
He accused Khan had done financial misappropriation and was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan which was a matter of record.
He pointed out that the previous day’s scandal of selling Toshakhana watches had two important things as the dates were manipulated on which the wristwatches were sold in the market.
Manipulation of Law
The law was also manipulated to buy the Toshakhana gifts at 20% value.
The gift was given by the friendly country Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman had a unique prestige, he said, adding, “The dates of money deposited in the record have separate dates which should be probed.”
The Defense Minister underscored that the individuals involved in the sale of the gifts should be present in Pakistan and should record their statements during the investigation.
“Imran Khan himself has been disqualified from ECP and he put the burden of resentment on the nation by hurling hoax propaganda.”
Nawaz Sharif was lifetime disqualified for not declaring Rs10,000 and his daughter was also penalized whereas Imran Khan had crossed all ethical limits, he said.
The government, he said was now demanding to hold Imran Khan accountable as per the law that disqualified Nawaz Sharif for hiding Rs10,000.
“We have come to a turn where a clean judicial process, not the one that indicted Maryam Nawaz and Nawaz Sharif, should hold Imran Khan accountable.”
Khan is Presenting Dubious Record of His Ferozewala Land
The channels of money received by Imran Khan should be probed as Khan was presenting a dubious record of his Ferozewala land having changing status from benamedar to self-owned or inherited property to confirm his income sources, he added.
“There is rule of law in Pakistan now whereas in Imran Khan’s three years rule several political leaders were detained including Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Shehbaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqqan Abbasi, Asif Ali Zardari and his sister among others.”
He added that there was a reign of terror during his tenure as anyone could be detained through National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
The details of all the gifts received by the Prime Minister, the cabinet ministers and including the Defense Minister (himself) were placed in the showcases of the prime minister office where earlier looting and corruption and law violations were rampant during Imran Khan’s rule, he added. APP
