Pakistan
ECP report: Shehbaz demands legal action against PM Imran
Says Imran Niazi, who has been proven a thief and a liar under the law, must resign
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president Mian Shehbaz Sharif Friday demanded legal action and everyday court proceedings against Prime Minister Imran Khan, citing a report of the Election Commission of Pakistan's scrutiny committee about concealment of PTI funds worth millions of rupees.
The demand came from the PML-N president in a series of a tweets.
"A person who hides facts, steals, and lies, cannot hold constitutional, governmental or political office," he said, adding "if the law can apply to a popular leader like Nawaz Sharif, why not Imran Niazi?"
Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly said: "If a Panama Papers JIT can be formed against Nawaz Sharif, and can be overseen by the honourable judges of the Supreme Court, then why can this not be done for Imran Niazi?"
Under the Constitution of Pakistan and its laws, "no thief can be a prime minister".
"Imran Niazi, who has been proven a thief and a liar under the law, must resign," he added.
Shahbaz said the Constitution, law and political code of conduct dictates that PM Imran Khan step down from office. "The ECP's scrutiny committee has said that Imran Niazi is neither honest nor trustworthy," he added.
The PML-N president demanded that a probe be initiated against PM Imran Khan and his case be heard on a daily basis like against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
He said equal treatment under the Constitution and law is a fundamental tenet of Pakistan's laws and one that must be fulfilled.
"The ECP's scrutiny committee has charged Imran Niazi and his party under the law," he said.
He said the country is operating "without a (real) prime minister", and is being governed under a "constitutional and legal vaccuum".
"Pakistan has no leader of the parliament," he said, adding: "Under the law and Constitution, Imran Niazi cannot decide on the country's affairs."
"After the ECP scrutiny report, any decision that is made cannot be considered constitutional or legal," Shahbaz said.
The Opposition leader also demanded a review of the deal with the International Monetary Fund and the supplementary finance bill, termed by the Opposition as a "mini-budget".
He also called for all those named in ECP's report to resign, and for legal action "without delay" against four PTI employees, as well all others involved in accepting foreign funding for the par
Shahbaz said he will "speak to the Opposition" regarding the "grave constitutional vaccuum" that the ECP's findings have led to.
"All parties and workers that have faith in the Constitution and the law will have to play their part in bringing Pakistan out of this constitutional vaccum," he said.
Shahbaz said further investigations are needed into which other foreign entities donated to the party and that details of PTI's international accounts must be brought to the fore.
"The people who accepted illegal funds from non-state actors and companies are a threat to the nuclear power that Pakistan is," he said.