Dissident Aleem Khan lambasts PM Khan for compromising on ‘ideology’

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 05 Jan 2023

Member of Punjab Assembly Aleem Khan on Monday lambasted Prime Minister Imran Khan for “compromising” on five seats in the provincial parliament, emphasizing that this was the point where the ruling party’s “ideology was compromised”. 

Addressing a press conference in his hometown of Lahore, Aleem took aim at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman and incumbent interim Prime Minister Imran Khan for propagating a false image of a ‘New Pakistan’.

“Would Pervaiz Elahi run the new Pakistan,” he asked PM Imran.
The disgruntled PTI leader had given up his position in the provincial cabinet after spending much of his time in office frustratingly trying to win over Prime Minister Imran Khan’s favour and to nominate him for the post of Punjab Chief Minister. However, he failed to convince PM Imran to appoint him ahead of Usman Buzdar.

Aleem said he was being wrongly accused of betraying the party, and challenged the prime minister to name anyone from the party who was as loyal as him.

“I was served four notices by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) within 15 days after I became an MPA,” he said. “If you wanted to appoint Buzdar [as Punjab chief minister] why do you have to call me before NAB.”

Aleem contended that the prime minister should have instead said that, “he doesn’t want to appoint” him (Buzdar).

“On my last visit [to the NAB office], I was with the director-general and we both saw the news that Usman Buzdar had been nominated for the chief minister’s post,” he added.

Aleem said he proceeded to plead with the DG to “spare” him now as the CM has been decided now.

“As the news of replacing Buzdar came out, I was once again got the notice in February and was jailed for 100 days,” he said.

Referring to PM Khan, Aleem said to prove the “corruption” which he was jailed for and asked why no reference was filed against him and had jailed during the investigation.

The senior politician challenged the prime minister to face the nation with him and prove the alleged corruption. “I am wrong; I will shoot myself in front of the entire nation otherwise Imran Khan should come forward,” he said.

He alleged that deputy commissioners in Lahore were being appointed after paying Rs30 million in bribes and that he has informed PM Khan about the corruption inside the CM house.

“None of the transfers were made before submitting bribe in CM Secretariat,” he claimed. In a hard-hitting press conference, he lashed out at the PTI leaders for calling him a “disloyal” and said it was “unfortunate” that they were resorting to maligning him.

He alleged that Farah, close to PM Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, was involved in transfers and postings of bureaucrats in Punjab, but now she and her husband have “fled” to Dubai.

The former minister asked the prime minister why he did not like anyone from among the 183 MPAs in Punjab. “You nominated the person [Pervaiz Elahi] whom you used to call the biggest dacoit in Punjab,” he jibbed.

“Have you no shame? You sent your close members to jail. We informed you about every corrupt practice Buzdar was involved in. But why the ones standing with you are patriots and others are traitors.”

Talking about meeting the US ambassador, Aleem said whether it was “treacherous” that he “met the ambassador” at the prime minister’s residence.

His remarks came a day after the premier revealed that the US official who sent the threat letter was Assistant Secretary of State for the South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu.