ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday, while terming the purported surfacing of an audio leak of the Prime Minister House a ‘serious security lapse’, resolved that it would be thoroughly investigated.
Addressing a presser, he agreed that a big question mark was posed over the audio leak, and informed that he would be forming a high-powered committee to fully probe it and unearth facts.
The prime minister further said the visitors from foreign countries would also feel uncomfortable if the conversations at the official places were bugged and such breaches of cyber secrecy were related to the matter of respect of 220 million Pakistanis.
To a query, he said the country was passing through ‘a state of war on the economic front’ and the coalition government was fully endeavouring to set the national economy right. “Rest assure, we will not run away and will put it on the right path,” he emphasized.
The prime minister said the coalition government had focused on the economic situation, and was striving day and night to improve the economic conditions, therefore, they had no time for settling the political scores with Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan.
If he had spent half of the time of his government on strengthening the economy, there might be some improvement, he regretted without naming Imran Khan.
Shehbaz Sharif, responding to another query, categorically said the general elections would be held on time and ruled out any threats to the coalition government.
Explaining further, he said in the alleged audio leak, Maryam Nawaz had never asked for any favour, neither she sought any favour nor recommended anything for her son-in-law.
Half of the sugar mills’ machinery was imported from India during the PTI’s government, he said, adding since the matter pertained to India, they did not consider it and took up it in the cabinet.
Under the laws, as a prime minister, he could give a nod, but he did not so what was wrong in it, since no bargaining was involved, he added.
The prime minister, in an apparent reference to the PTI’s audio leaks, said why questions were not raised over those audio leaks which provided clear evidences of bribing of diamonds and properties given in exchange for the transfer of 190 million pounds sterling, which were sent back as a law suit agreement with the National Crimes Agency of the UK.
To another question, the prime minister said Imran Niazi had misused the national machinery with use of brute force by framing fake cases against Nawaz Sharif and other leadership of PPP (Pakistan Peoples Party) and PML-N (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz), and even the women were not spared.
He said it was on record that Bashir Memon, former chief of FIA (Federal Investigation Agency), was summoned to file fake cases against the political adversaries of PTI. His statements in that regard were on the record.
“If I err somewhere, I shall ask for forgiveness from the nation,” the prime minister maintained.
Further elaborating his point of view, Shehbaz Sharif said during the PTI’s tenure, the national assets were sold mercilessly and Tosha Khana was an example in that regard as watches were sold out and the amount was taken away by Imran Khan.
Khan Sahib sold out watches and after fetching the amount, the required percentage of the Tosha Khana gifts were deposited which blatantly violated the set norms and requirements, he added.
The prime minister said during the PTI’s government, sugar was exported by claiming it as surplus. During Nawaz Sharif’s government, sugar was sold at Rs 52 per kg which was an irrefutable evidence.
The PTI’s government, he added, provided subsidy over sugar at a time when the US dollar was on the surge and the rupee was tumbling down so it provided ‘a windfall’, manifesting billions of rupees scam.
Imran Khan’s claims of bringing the elements to books did not yield any results, the prime minister said and questioned where had been the commission that was promised to probe such corruption? How many people were proceeded against and taken to jails?
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman was blackmailed through a female complainant who was unlawfully kept in confinement in the PM House, he added.
The prime minister said in the leaked audio leak, whether anyone heard of any bargaining. If there was any wrongdoing ask him and he would respond. “Please don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. It is not suitable.”