Pak PM Imran Khan, his wife received bribes worth PKR 6 billion: Maryam Nawaz alleges

Lahore, Mar 26: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz on Saturday accused Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi of receiving bribes to the tune of PKR 6 billion, terming it as a "mother of all scandals."

The daughter of former three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif made these accusations while addressing her party workers in Model Town here.

On Saturday, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said that the voting in the National Assembly on a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Khan was likely to take place on April 3 or 4.

"I dare to name Farah (a friend of Bushra Bibi) who is involved in receiving millions in transfers and postings and these are directly connected to the Banigala (residence of PM Khan). Once the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government is sent home through the no-confidence motion, more stories of corruption will come to the fore," Maryam said.

On Saturday, she led her party's anti-corruption march from Lahore to Islamabad. "The mother of all scandals of the Imran Khan government is that of transfers and postings amounting to Rs 6 billion and it is directly related to the Banigala. In the coming days, startling evidence will surface. Imran Khan has a strong fear that once he is out of power, his 'thefts' will be caught," she said, while launching an acerbic attack on Khan.

She asked the prime minister to show some self-respect and urged him to resign instead of seeking time to cling onto power. "Today Imran Khan is crying for help not from the public but someone else (establishment) pleading to come forward and help save my government. But let me tell him...no one will come to his rescue now," she said.

Asking the premier to stop bluffing the people on holding a 'trump card,' she said: "Imran is left with no cards, rather his government's days are numbered and this a writing on the wall. He is dragging his rule for a few more days by delaying the vote-count on the motion of no-confidence motion against him in the parliament. How much humiliation does he want to embrace by sticking to power without any authority?"

Taking taking potshots at Khan's third wife, Bushra Bibi, also known as Bushra Riaz, Maryam said, "We know that 'jadu, tuna' (witchcraft) is going on in Banigala to save Imran's government but that will also not help." Khan, 69, is heading a coalition government and he can be removed if some of the partners decide to switch sides. He is facing a rebellion by his about two dozen lawmakers and allied parties which are also reluctant to pledge support to him.

Both Khan and his ministers are trying to give the impression that everything was fine and he would come out victorious out of the trial.

No Pakistani prime minister has ever completed a full five-year term in office.

The PTI has 155 members in the 342-member National Assembly and needs at least 172 lawmakers on its side to remain in the government.