ISLAMABAD: The coalition government on Thursday officially announced its intention to form an inquiry commission to probe the claim that Imran Khan was ousted from office as the result of a “foreign conspiracy”.

“The inquiry commission, under an impartial head will keep the public aware of its proceedings,” Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb told a press conference on Thursday.

“We have decided… the truth must come out,” she said, adding that the findings of the inquiry commission will be placed before the masses so that they could see for themselves who it was that had hurt the country’s interests.

“These allegations are an attempt to cause irreparable damage to the country,” the information minister said.

Marriyum alleges PTI transferred Rs870.4 million to 34 private accounts during its tenure

The minister said the terms of reference (ToRs) of the committee will be finalised in the next meeting of the federal cabinet.

“The head of the commission should be a person whose credibility cannot be challenged by anyone,” she said, adding that those who are leveling allegations of ‘foreign conspiracies’ will have to face the law after the findings of the inquiry commission.

Ms Aurangzeb also alleged that the PTI chief was holding public rallies to protect the corruption of Farah Khan – a close friend of Imran’s wife Bushra Bibi – who she claimed was his ‘frontwoman’.

“This drama of allegations should come to an end – the hue and cry was not about foreign conspiracy, rather it was merely a drive to rescue Farah Gogi,” the government’s spokesperson said.

Presenting a list of the alleged corruption committed by Ms Khan, the minister also singled out former SAPM Mirza Shahzad Akbar, calling him the head of the PTI’s “asset-making unit”.

The minister claimed the PTI-led government facilitated the opening of around 34 bank accounts between 2018 and 2022, most of them in the name of Farah. “Rs 870.4 million were transferred into those accounts during the period.”

Denouncing the policies of the previous government, she said that “economic terrorists” who had planted “economic mines” were today mourning their own incompetence, loot and plunder.

“Those who looted the treasury and national exchequer for four years are now trying to save Farah [Khan] and trying to deceive the nation in the name of ‘foreign conspiracy’,” she added.

The information minister claimed that inflation had hit an all-time high due to the incompetence, inefficiency, loot and plunder committed by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s team.

She added that during the rule of Imran Khan, the prices of flour, sugar, Ghee, medicines and fertilizer remained at the highest level in history of the country.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has given relief to the people from years of inflation in just two weeks,” the minister remarked, adding that it was due to his efforts that there were no longer queues outside Utility Stores of those who merely wanted a kilo of sugar.

She added that brotherly countries, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, were forging business partnerships for the country’s development, while former PM Imran Khan used to have to beg them for assistance.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2022