One telling lies under oath can’t run country: Musadik

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik said on Thursday how come a person could be allowed to run the country who tells lies under oath, and who submits false affidavits to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Addressing a press conference here, he said: “A person [Imran] who used to tell lies to the people should not be allowed to run the affairs of the country,” adding that he might be a potential threat to the national security.

He said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was still reluctant to accept the ECP verdict, though the probe into the prohibited funding was conducted during its tenure in power.

“Imran Khan was the prime minister when the State Bank of Pakistan had submitted record of his party’s financial statements to the ECP,” added Musadik.

“It was the PTI chief who had appointed both the governor of State Bank and the chief election commissioner,” he added.

Musadik said the ECP verdict clearly indicated that the PTI run its affairs through ‘’black money’’, which had received donations/ funds from over 350 foreign based companies. All the financial records of such companies were also maintained by the PTI itself.

The PTI has no right to claim itself a ‘’fair party’’ after receiving funds from foreign nationals, who had connections with enemy countries like India and Israel. He said the nation could not pose confidence in such a leader who was playing into the hands of enemy powers.

Musadik accused Imran Khan’s government of corruption, claiming that it did not deposit millions of rupees recovered from business tycoon Malik Riaz in the United Kingdom in the national exchequer. “Being the custodian of the state, former advisor Mirza Shahzad Akbar’s responsibility was originally to contest the money. But he managed the process and settled the matter against his alleged share,” said the state minister.