Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has threatened to shut down Islamabad if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif avoids accountability, but the ruling party activists laughed off the sabre-rattling by the arch rival.
He gave the ultimatum while addressing a big rally late Friday night close to the Sharif family’s residential estate at Raiwind in Punjab province, the political bastion of the prime minister and his Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) party.
“We will not let the government function and paralyse Islamabad after the Islamic new year if Nawaz Sharif does not present himself for accountability,” he said, referring to the Islamic lunar calendar’s month likely to begin in Pakistan on Monday.
“Nawaz Sharif’s corruption, concealment of assets, including property in London and money laundering is an open-and-shut case,” the PTI leader claimed, citing disclosures in the leaked Panama Papers.
Khan said his party would not hold any more rallies against the rulers but make the “decisive move” to bring the capital to a standstill.
“I will set the date and lead the march into the capital,” said the cricketer-tuned-politician, who has been engaged in a public mobilisation campaign against alleged corruption of rulers.
During his fiery address, several video clips were played on a large screen showing the Sharif family members’ statements related to assets abroad.
A central PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry, reacting to the outburst, said the PTI leader was in the habit of hurling threats out of frustration due to rejection of his negative politics by the electorate.
In his speech, Imran Khan also hit out at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the current tension between the two nuclear states over the turmoil in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Terming Modi an extremist and bigot, Imran warned him against any misadventure.
“Modi must remember that the entire Pakistani nation stands united behind the armed forces against Indian aggression. Pakistanis are not cowards like Nawaz Sharif,” the PTI leader remarked.
“If Modi does not give up his jingoistic anti-Pakistan agenda, the so-called shining-India dream will be shattered to pieces within no time,” he said.
