ISLAMABAD: A social media message of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan ahead of his public meeting in Sehwan alleging huge corruption in Sindh has prompted a strong reaction from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the ruling party in the province, which accused Mr Khan of “making his party a safe haven for corrupt elements”.

The PTI chief, who is scheduled to address a public gathering in Sehwan Sharif on Sunday (today), said in the video message that it was Sindh which needed “change” the most “because of the highest rate of corruption” in the province.

“It is the people of Sindh whose share is the highest in the looted money that has been stashed abroad,” he said.

Through his message, apparently recorded at his Banigala residence, Mr Khan appealed to the people of Sehwan to attend the public meeting in large numbers. In the public meeting, the PTI chairman added, he would “present future steps his party would take to bring Sindh out of this quagmire”. Secondly, he would also tell the people about plans for development of Sindh.

PPP terms remarks ‘gibberish’ with a counter-attack against PTI chief

He said that the PTI would present a programme to eliminate poverty and unemployment from the province where “there is no rule of law” at present.

“Small farmers are not even getting water whereas big farmers and the influential are getting benefits of all sorts,” he added.

Reacting to Mr Khan’s message, a central leader of the PPP, Saeed Ghani, said that before visiting Sehwan Sharif, “Imran Khan Niazi should clear himself from the courts of corruption charges and bring changes in his character”.

“Mr Niazi’s and his father’s corruption stories are known by every citizen of Pakistan and they don’t believe in his gibberish,” Mr Ghani said in a statement released by the PPP media office in Islamabad.

“The people of Sindh are well aware of the real face of Taliban Niazi,” he said indirectly accusing Mr Khan of having sympathies for Taliban militants.

“It is ironic that on the one hand Imran Niazi claims to be fighting against corruption and on the other corrupt elements are with him. Mr Niazi should not expect others to remain decent if he continues to use foul language against the PPP leadership,” the PPP leader warned.

Mr Ghani’s statement focused on the censure of the PTI leader without offering any defence against the latter’s allegations about massive corruption in Sindh.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2017