Hours after his late-night televised address, Prime Minister Imran Khan issued a statement on Wednesday morning urging the nation to refrain from “glorifying money launderers”.
In a post on Twitter, the premier accused these individuals of “seeking refuge behind democracy” and said it was now “time to treat them as criminals”.
The premier was responding to protests held across the country following the arrests of major political personalities including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president Hamza Shehbaz and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) supremo Altaf Hussain.
PM Imran to form ‘high-powered commission’ to probe massive increase in Pakistan’s debt
PM Imran said such elements “have damaged our nation and impoverished our people” and emphasised the need to ensure they receive no special treatment.
“No protocol shd be extended to them. Where are plunderers of public wealth given such special treatment? Time to treat them as criminals,” said the prime minister.
Time for nation to stop glorifying money launderers who have damaged our nation & impoverished our ppl & now seeking refuge behind "democracy". No protocol shd be extended to them. Where are plunderers of public wealth given such special treatment? Time to treat them as criminals
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) June 12, 2019
In his address to the nation around Tuesday midnight, PM Imran came down hard on opposition members and announced the formation of a high-powered commission to probe the massive Rs24,000 billion debt piled up in the last 10 years.
