Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday promised to constitute a “high-powered commission” to probe corruption of last 10 years in Pakistan.
Imran, during his address to the nation late Tuesday, took the masses into confidence on the current political and economic situation of the country.
The prime minister blamed the former governments of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for the current economic woes of the country. He explained how the two former governments had been involved in corruption and burdened the country with huge foreign loans.
The prime minister said the two political parties entered into an alliance and kept bringing a chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of their own choice.
“We did not appoint the NAB chairman; Nawaz league and PPP appointed him,” he said, adding, “I did not formed cases against opposition [members].”
He noted that the mega money laundering case against Asif Ali Zardari was registered by the PML-N, adding that the opposition wanted a National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).
“Today, hue and cry is being raised that Zardari is in jail, and Nawaz league and PPP have come together,” he lamented.
Announcing formation of a high-level commission to probe corruption, the prime minister said it would investigate acquisition of foreign loans over the past 10 years.
He said the foreign debt of the country jumped to Rs 30,000 billion from Rs 6,000 billion in the last 10 years.
“The inquiry commission will have representatives from the IB, FIA, FBR, SECP and ISI,” he said. “We will find out through the inquiry commission how foreign debts of the country mounted by Rs 24,000 billion.”
Speaking of the budget, Imran said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government presented its first budget, which would “reflect the ideology of a new Pakistan”.
“New Pakistan will be formed on the principles of the state of Madina,” the prime minister reiterated, saying that the principles of the state of Madina were based on equality. “It was a modern state and the principles of the state of Madina are in practice in Western countries,” he said.
Imran also responded to his opponents saying that since the time he had assumed office of the prime minister, his rivals had been inquiring as to where the state of Madina was. “These big names who are behind the bars today, this is the change,” he said. “I shall not spare these thieves, be it at the cost of my life.”
The prime minister said he had the nation’s confidence in him, and promised to streamline the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) together with Shabbar Zaidi. He also urged the masses to benefit from the amnesty scheme or else their ‘benami’ assets and bank accounts would be seized after June 30. “These few months are difficult, but afterwards Pakistan will prosper and there would be investment in the country,” he assured.
