Info minister terms January 17 important day in Pakistan’s history

Commenting on Friday’s conviction of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan in the Al-Qadir Trust scam case, Sindh Senior Minister for Information and Transport Sharjeel said January 17 had become one of the most important days in the history of Pakistan.

He said a truth had come to light as a person who had been deceiving the public for years under the guise of truth and honesty, had his mask removed. Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Memon stated that the PTI continued to act against the state solely to benefit one person.

He said the punishment awarded to Imran and his wife was a consequence of their actions. He was of the view that the PTI founder used the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to have his opponents arrested and targeted when he was in power, and if someone spoke against him on a TV programme, they would receive a NAB notice the very next day.

The information minister recalled that Imran imprisoned President Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur, as well as the leadership of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. He added that the PTI founder wanted to dominate the country through NAB.

He said Imran was a corporate criminal who stole watches from the Toshakhana and sold them. When Imran’s government ended, the first person to leave the country was Farah Gogi, who had been making decisions while based in Bani Gala, Memon said, adding that despite Farah’s association with Bani Gala, Imran repeatedly claimed that she had no connection to him.

The provincial senior minister said Imran had been sentenced to 14 years in prison, but not a single person had come out to protest. He noted that on May 9, the entire country was set on fire, institutions were attacked, and chaos ensued over a minor arrest.

However, it had been four to five hours since the sentencing, and there was no unrest. He remarked that the one who used to instruct protests is now in jail, which was why there was no protest today.

He stated that since 2018, the PTI founder had been waging a war against the state "Can PTI leaders defend Farah Gogi, the Malam Jabba case, and the KP BRT case?" Memon asked. Responding to a question, he stated that the courts of Pakistan would operate in accordance with the country's laws, and no trump card would prevail.

PTI’s condemnation

Sindh Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Haleem Adil Sheikh has strongly criticized the recent conviction of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his spouse in the Al-Qadir University Trust case.

Addressing a press conference at the Insaf House Karachi, Sheikh strongly criticized the conviction of Imran Khan in what he termed a fabricated case. He claimed that the institution has now been unjustly shut down.

“This is a tragic day for justice. Imran Khan has been punished for educating the nation’s children in Quran and Sunnah,” Sheikh said. “The entire nation rejects this verdict.” He reaffirmed the PTI’s commitment to challenging the verdict in higher courts, expressing confidence that Imran Khan would be acquitted as he was in previous false cases.

“The nation will not accept this decision. This is not justice but a clear abuse of the judicial system,” Sheikh declared. “Imran Khan did not gain a single rupee from Al-Qadir University, which was established to educate the youth on Islamic principles.” Sheikh accused political opponents, including Hasan Nawaz and Asif Ali Zardari, of engaging in corruption. He argued that the focus on Khan was a diversion from these cases.

Highlighting Sindh’s worsening security situation, Sheikh expressed grave concerns over the rising incidents of kidnappings, murders, and street crimes in Karachi. He criticized the police for failing to ensure public safety, focusing instead on targeting PTI.

“The police, instead of protecting citizens, have encircled Insaf House and disrupted our press conference,” Sheikh lamented. “This heavy-handedness is unacceptable, and objections to holding a press conference only expose the oppressive tactics of the authorities.”

He also paid tribute to PTI workers for resisting what he termed a campaign of fascism against the party. “Those who lacked the courage have left the PTI, but our steadfast workers continue to stand tall against oppression,” he said.