NAROWAL: The battle of Imran Khan is not with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or Nawaz Sharif but against corruption, says a party’s central leader.

Abrarul Haq told a news conference here that Rs12 billion daily corruption was being committed in Pakistan and the rulers were involved in it. The Nawaz Sharif-led government took unimaginable loans in the last four years. During Asif Ali Zardari’s regime, he said, every Pakistani was under the debt of Rs80,000 and the figure had risen to Rs150,000.

He demanded that Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution should be applied to Ahsan Iqbal and Khwaja

Asif as they remained no longer truthful and trustworthy. He said there was no mention of ‘Iqama’ in the nomination papers of Ashan Iqbal, thus, he concealed his employment. He said there should be accountability of the plunderers regardless of political parties.

He congratulated the joint investigation team for conducting an impartial investigation and the Supreme Court of Pakistan for coming up with a historical decision.

He said he would contest the general election 2018 from NA-117 Narowal-III against Ahsan Iqbal.

TORTURE: A man alleges that a trader has resorted to violence against him for complaining about selling substandard goods and that too at high prices and illegally refilling gas in cylinders.

Naseem Abbas, a resident of Chhamal of Shakargarh tehsil, complained to assistant commissioner that Haji Muhammad Ashraf sold substandard goods on high prices and was involved in the illegal business of gas refilling in cylinders in a residential area. Assistant Commissioner Amer Shahzad raided the shop and fined him besides issuing warning.

Haji Ashraf, he alleged, nursed a grudge against him (Naseem Abbas) and had him manhandled by his sons Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Mohsin and Irfan Ali.

“They attacked me with metal rods and left me injured. Former hockey Olympian Dilawer Hussain tried to save me but they manhandled and injured him as well and the injured are being treated at the Tehsil Headquarters hospital,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2017