QUETTA: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan has said that the joint investigation team (JIT), constituted to probe allegations against the prime minister and his children stemming from the Panama Papers, should also trace business interests of Nawaz Sharif in India and other countries.

Earlier: Imran criticises Sharif for his ‘secret’ talks with Indian PM

Speaking at a public meeting in Ayub Stadium here on Friday, he alleged that “Nawaz Sharif and company” was looting the wealth of the country as did the East India Company in the subcontinent.

The PTI’s vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, secretary general Jahangir Tareen and Balochistan chapter president Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind and Sheikh Rasheed, president of the Awami Muslim League, also spoke at the gathering.

Says Jadhav’s execution stayed after Jindal’s visit to Pakistan

He said that the prime minister had to be accountable to the masses over his business interests in foreign countries.

Mr Khan said that Prime Minister Sharif had lost the confidence of people of Pakistan.

He said that the execution of Indian convicted spy Kulbhushan Jadhav had been withheld after Indian business tycoon Sajjan Jindal visited Pakistan and met the PM.

Despite demands from political parties and other quarters, Mr Sharif had not clarified the purpose of Mr Jindal’s visit to Pakistan and his meeting with him (the PM).

He said that Jadhav was arrested in Balochistan and had confessed that he had been involved in terrorist activities in the province and creating a law and order in Karachi in connivance with a political party in Karachi. But India succeeded in obtaining a stay on his execution from the International Court of Justice.

He said that the nation was disappointed at the decision of the world court which had stayed the execution of a serving officer of the Indian navy arrested in Pakistan during a spy mission.

The PTI chief asked Mr Sharif if a Pakistani spy was arrested in India, would New Delhi wait for an ICJ decision or execute him right away.

He said that there was government of companies in Pakistan. “Nawaz Sharif company limited rules the centre, Zardari family company limited Sindh, Achakzai and brother company Balochistan and Asfandyar Wali and Maulana Fazlur Rehman companies Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

“These companies steal the money of the country and send it abroad,” he alleged. “One hundred thousand billion rupees are being sent to the foreign countries every year through corruption and money laundering.”

He questioned how property worth Rs800 billion was purchased in London and said that the money was transferred to offshore companies and then expensive flats in Mayfair were bought with the funds.

Had the money been spent in Pakistan, youth would have acquired jobs and children would have gone to schools, Mr Khan said.

Corruption was also at its peak in Balochistan, he said. “On the one hand, the federal government is devouring funds and, on the other, the ministers and other people in connivance with officials like Mushtaq Raisani are busy in money laundering.”

He said that the world was advancing forward but Quetta was going backward as the city was infested with the problems of water shortage, unemployment and lack of educational facilities.

Mr Khan warned that any attempt to ban social media or take action against people active on it would be resisted and the PTI would take to the streets to protest against such a move.

If the PTI came to power in Balochistan, he said, it would mould police force on the pattern of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, complete construction of Kachhi canal to irrigate 900,000 hectares of land and shift funds from members of the National Assembly to local bodies.

He said that Balochistan had been subjected to injustice but the people of the province had proved that they were fearless and brave.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2017