Nawaz should answer about his assets abroad: Shibli Faraz

He said the former rulers wasted US$23 billion to artificially control the dollar value

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz on Thursday said that instead of creating confusions, former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif should tell about his assets abroad and how he laundered money out of the country.

Reacting to the speech of former PM, he said that Nawaz Sharif made assets of billions of rupees abroad through money laundering, adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan has provided his money trail in the court.

The minister said that the people of Pakistan gave three chances to Nawaz Sharif to rule Pakistan, but he ruined country s economy and its institutions, adding that the former rulers wasted US$23 billion to artificially control the dollar value.

Faraz went on to say that the government and the judiciary, while showing sympathy, allowed Nawaz Sharif to go abroad for medical treatment, but in response of that the former prime minister is busy in weakening the country.

Regarding Nawaz Sharif s allegations of rigging in last general elections, the information minister said they are professional liars. He said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had launched a movement and demanded opening of four constituencies in General Election 2013.

“Around 487 election petitions were filed by various political parties, while majority of them was submitted by the PTI,” he said and added in 2018 elections, 287 election petitions were filed and 90 of them were about National Assembly constituencies.

Shibli further said 45 of those 90 petitions were filed by PTI, where our candidates had lost elections with a margin of 50 to 2000 votes, adding that the PML-N considers Punjab its stronghold, where total election petitions were 13 and 11 of them belonged to PML-N.

He said: “What an irony it is that after the lapse of two years, Nawaz Sharif is now talking of rigging, adding that they should have followed the due process instead of maligning the entire election proceedings.”

The minister said they are misleading the people of Pakistan and they will not succeed in their nefarious designs. He said Nawaz Sharif is blackmailing the government and state institutions to hide his corruption. He said the government is determined to go after the corrupt, come what may.

Regarding government s efforts to reduce inflation, Shibli Faraz said there is sufficient stock of wheat and sugar in the country, adding PM Imran is very concerned about availability of essential items. “The government is working on evolving a strategy to ensure essential items like flour, sugar, ghee, pulses, and other things at affordable rates to the general public,” he added.