ISLAMABAD: PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz on Thursday heavily criticised the PTI-led government for receiving foreign funding as revealed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in its report and said that Prime Minister Imran Khan will have to be answerable to the masses for his wrongdoing.
Speaking during a press conference after a meeting of the PML-N, Maryam said that PTI reported to “misdeclaration” of funds upon the directives of PM Imran Khan. Several other senior PML-N leaders, including Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Rana Sanaullah, Pervez Rasheed, and Maryam Aurangzeb were also in attendance during the press briefing.
“Imran Khan received the money from abroad in the accounts of four of his employees,” Maryam said, adding that the PTI submitted fake certificates to the ECP. “Imran Khan will have to be answerable to the people of Pakistan as to where he spent the foreign funding,” she said.
She went on to say that in order to prevent ECP’s report from being publically released, the government exerted a lot of pressure on the commission. The PML-N vice-president said that the PTI used the religion card to conceal his wrongdoing.
“The PML-N, as well as the joint Opposition, demand Imran Khan tenders his resignation,” she said, adding that an investigation must be launched into all the undeclared accounts that the PTI government owns. “Just like a JIT was formed against PM Nawaz Sharif, a similar JIT must be formed to probe PTI too,” she said.
She said that since all the allegations of financial wrongdoing have been proven against the PTI, the people of Pakistan are waiting for accountability.
Answering a question regarding PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s return to Pakistan, Maryam said that the party will decide it. Regarding the leaked recording of a phone call Maryam had with Pervez Rasheed, she demanded an apology for tapping her phone without her knowledge.
“As a citizen of Pakistan, it was a violation of my rights to tap my personal phone call. Therefore, I am not going to comment on this issue unless I receive an apology.”