“The whole state machinery is being used to save a corrupt Prime Minister. I will not accept a ‘suspect’ as Prime Minister of Pakistan,”
Islamabad: India and Pakistan are attempting to stare each other down on their borders and across the Line of Control. But apparently, Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif is only pursuing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s agenda in Pakistan. This was the allegation that was levelled on Sunday by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan.
Khan’s allegation comes as his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI), prepares to blockade Islamabad in a bid to bring pressure to an already embattled Nawaz Sharif. The PTI has been demanding Sharif’s resignation over his appearance in documents that were part of the Panama Papers leaks. The allegation also came on a day when a 100 PTI supporters were detained by the police while heading towards Khan’s residence.
Khan’s conspiracy theory holds that Sharif has been acting in a manner that benefits PM Modi’s interests. “When Nawaz Sharif went to London for whatever kind of surgery, he on the hospital bed first telephoned Modi instead of his mother or children,” Imran told reporter, referring to Sharif’s open heart surgery at a London hospital in May.
“Nawaz is following Modi’s ‘interests’ in Pakistan. Nawaz is behind the security leaks story which defamed the armed forces. Actually, his and Modi’s agenda is same,” he added.
Khan then turned his focus to a more sustained attack on Sharif. He alleged that it was on Sharif’s instruction that information had been leaked of a meeting where there had been a rift between civilian and military officials over support to terrorist groups.
He further accused Sharif and his party of subversion. “The whole state machinery is being used to save a corrupt Prime Minister. I will not accept a ‘suspect’ as Prime Minister of Pakistan,” Khan said, adding that he would continue to target Sharif over allegations of graft.
The impending blockade of Islamabad on November 2 by the PTI has already brought a siege mentality in the Pakistani capital. The government has already blocked roads leading to the city and detained about a 1,000 PTI workers. (Agencies)
