ISLAMABAD: Federal minister Mian Javed Latif on Wednesday warned Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan of severe public reaction if he did not abandon his “systematic campaign” against state institutions.

He said there must not be multiple standards of accountability for different political parties and Imran Khan should also be made accountable for his baseless criticism against the institutions.

Addressing a press conference, Latif said, “Imran Khan used to say that he would not negotiate with us (PML-N & allies), and now he is offering talks under the compulsion of changed environment.” In case the situation had not changed, he would have been harping on the old mantra even today, he added.

Imran Khan, he said, was now seeking NROs (National Reconciliation Ordinance) from the government, the institutions and even from the United States.

The minister called for the constitution of a parliamentary commission to formally probe Imran Khan’s objectives of his “systematic campaign against the institutions”. The commission should also be tasked to scrutinise the shocking revelations of Javed Hashmi about the manipulation of results of the last general election, disclosures of retired Justice Shaukat Siddiqui and the video of the late Arshad Malik for sorting out the real motives of Imran Khan, he demanded.

He urged the Federal Shariat Court to take a suo moto notice of Imran Khan’s remarks “which negate Islamic teachings”. He also urged the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) to summon Imran on the matter.

He accused Imran Khan of promoting secularism and creating chaos in the country. The minister also played video clips of Imran Khan containing controversial remarks.

Answering a question, Latif said the nation would accord a rousing welcome to former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on his return from abroad.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2022