ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan Wednesday attended National Assembly session and presented his party’s stance on Panama Papers investigation, Samaa reported. Khan, while addressing the house, also cleared his position on holding an alleged offshore company. Calling upon the prime minister to present himself of accountability and an end to corruption in Pakistan,...

Khan, while addressing the house, also cleared his position on holding an alleged offshore company.

Calling upon the prime minister to present himself of accountability and an end to corruption in Pakistan, Khan urged the government to ensure a transparent investigation into offshore assets of Sharif Family.

He described PM’s speech as ‘disappointing’, warning that the opposition has a democratic right to come out on streets, if the government continued its inaction.

About government’s counter allegations and claims regarding misuse of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital (SKMCH) funds, Khan said the government should have investigated the reports.

“Baseless allegations levelled on me regarding Shaukat Khanum Hospital funds at time when we were running fundraising campaign. The government controls state institutions and agencies, it should have launched probe against me if I was misusing charity,” he asserted.

Clarification on SKMCH funds

“I put all my energies into building Cancer hospital in the 1990s. It’s still running in deficit… Instead of correcting themselves, they are attacking the interests of poor cancer patients. Show me one cancer hospital in world that treats 70% for free.

“They are damaging my institutions by attacking me only for I’m doing what I should do,” Khan said. “When I spoke on rigging I was accused of derailing democracy. When I speak on corruption, they accused me of the same.”

“The PM hits out at my Bani Gala home, and made jabs at my travel, lifestyle. If he is so curious, put the FBR after me,” Khan said.

He said the government must set a president of accountability. “David Cameron did not hit back out at the opposition; he had to answer. This is democracy, accountability, transparency.”

Khan deplored personal attacks on him by PML-N stalwarts as well his other opponents.

“From the start; I was attacked on my personal life. My wife who had converted was labelled a Jew agent.”

“I’m here before the house for my accountability, presenting myself for it. The way I am about to answer about my properties, if Nawaz Sharif had as well this issue would have ended six weeks back,” Khan asserted.

Khan on his assets & offshore firm

Khan recalled his successful cricket career during which he earned money and made assets, claiming that he has concealed nothing in his properties.

“I played county cricket and professional cricket through the 70s and 80s. I bought my flat after playing cricket for 13 years. 10 years I was a captain; was there any allegation of match fixing on me?” he asked.

“As a non UK resident I was not eligible to pay tax on my apartment that was in open knowledge of all,” Khan said, elaborating on his assets in UK.

About his offshore company Niazi Services, Khan presented his point of view, claiming that he had never concealed his assets.

“Did I ever hide my asset that was acquired under Niazi Services? The whole world knew of it. I gave media interviews there. In 2012 I did a press conference in which sales deed of the apartment had Niazi services written on it. The asset was declared.”

“I brought money from sale of that apartment back to Pakistan. From 1982 on, all my tax records are available. I was awarded plots; and it is on record that I donated them to SKMCH. I donated cars that were gifted to me,” he said.

“If I was so greedy, why would I have done any of that? I could have easily made my sugar mills and industries… My name did not appear in Panama Papers, just go to the ICIJ website and search my name. Use your phones to do it now,” Khan affirmed.

PM speech & Sharif Family assets

Imran Khan claimed that PM lied to the house in his Monday’s address. He presented record about Sharif Family’s assets, threatened the government of street protests.

“The way Nawaz Sharif spoke in assembly that day, in any Western democracy he would have been in deep trouble for lying… The PM says he presented himself for accountability but his letter to CJP suggested a toothless and inconclusive commission,” Khan said.

He said Maryam Safdar has been declared as the dependent of PM, but she has come out as owner of two companies that own Mayfair apartments in London. “It shows that PM himself owns the offshore companies and assets abroad.”

He also commented on PM’s tax record.

“He [PM] said he was a brilliant businessman. But his tax records show something totally different. He gave 10 billion rupees tax, but out of that eight billion was GST. That's a sales tax that public gives, so how did they include this?” he questioned.

“In the high court of London there was a judgement against them in 1999; in which names of their apartments were attached… There was a settlement of 33 million dollars against that case; but it remains a secret without a money trail.”

Khan said the government has failed to curb corruption that is resulting in lack of investment and development.

“Corruption stops foreign investment from coming in to the country. It results in flight of capital from the country. Corruption is facilitated by mega projects like Metro Bus and Orange Line… Institutions are destroyed, because corrupt people are put there to make money. The corrupt governments actually curb real development. “

“Corruption results in black economy running side by side. Let's not forget that fish rots from the top. We have to question the PM, otherwise what moral authority will we have to question or hold anyone else accountable?” he said.

Khan warned the government of his party’s extreme step.

“I cannot speak for other parties, but we will exercise democratic right to hit the streets if real accountability not done… This is the future of Pakistan at stake here; we owe it to the people to give real accountability instead of PMs sorry tales,” he said while concluding his speech.

Federal ministers were also present in the session to respond to opposition and defend the government. Before Khan’s speech, Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid addressed the house and welcomed the PTI chief in the house.

On Monday, PM Nawaz Sharif, in his long-awaited speech before the National Assembly on the Panamagate issue, again spoke about the history of his family businesses, but failed to impress the opposition.

In his address, the PM offered to constitute a joint parliamentary committee for the reformulation of the terms of reference (ToR) for the proposed judicial commission to investigate the scandal.

Imran Khan and his party came under fire from critics and media commentators for staging a walkout instead of responding to the prime minister’s speech.

Opposition parties have prepared a questionnaire which includes 70 questions raising various points regarding alleged money laundering and offshore assets of the Sharif Family. – Samaa