ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Thursday said the charges against him had nothing to do with embezzlement of national exchequer, and all conspiracies against him and his family would foil.
“The charges against us are not about any corruption in the national exchequer, but are related to my private family business,” Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif told the media waiting for around three hours outside the Judicial Academy, where he faced questioning by a Joint Investigation Team, probing the Panama Papers.
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 Sharif said he had served the nation thrice as the Prime Minister of the country and earlier served the Punjab province as Chief Minister and throughout these yars initiated projects worth billions 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 kick backs or commission, or even bring to the fore any shred of evidence against me,” the Prime Minister said while speaking from a statement.
He said “the people of Pakistan need to understand that whatever is happening today has nothing to do with any corruption or embezzlement of the national exchequre … but it is the personal and private business of our family, that is being dragged.”
The Prime Minister said he had presented his stance before the Joint Investigation team (JIT) and mentioned that details of his assets and resources had already been submitted with the relevant institutions, including the Supreme Court. He said the day was a milestone in upholding the supremacy of rule of law.
“Today, I and my entire family have presented ourselves for accountability,” he said and stressed that he had given account of his each and every penny.
He said the allegations and conspiracies of the opponents would end up in ashes.
Nawaz Sharif recalled that on surfacing of Panama Leaks some 15 months ago, he had proposed setting up a Commission comprising judges of the Supreme Court. “The matter would have been resolved by this time had the conspiracies not been hatched,” he said.
The Prime Minister mentioned that the accountability of his family started even before his birth in 1936 and that spanned over generations.
He said his family was the sole example of braving the cruel phases of accountability for three generations. He said all his family assets were nationalized in 1972 during the era of his political rival Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and even his residences were occupied during the dictatorship of General (R) Pervaiz Musharraf.
“Had there been a reminiscence of truth in their stance, they had not made false case of plane hijacking against me,” he said.
The Prime Minister, who was flanked by son Hussain Nawaz and Hamza Sharif, said in the next few days the JIT and the Supreme Court of Pakistan will give their verdict, “but the next JIT will comprise of 200 million Pakistanis and we will all have to present ourselves before them.”
The Prime Minister said 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 in conspiracies. “It is now time, that the emblem of truth and right be upheld.”
Nawaz Sharif said he was here today as being the Prime Minister, he was under the obligation of the Constitution.
“If the special-agenda factories, trampling the mandate of the people and the democracy, do not wind up their business now, then the national security and democracy in the country, would be jeopardised,” Prime Minister warned.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said his family would succeed against all odds and conspiracies and the people would stand with him in the next general election with more enthusiasm than they showed in 2013.
“We will not let the wheel of history turn in opposite direction. The days of games behind the scenes are now over. There can be no more puppet games anymore.”
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,” Prime Minister Sharif concluded his remarks read from a written statement in Urdu.
