Ishaq Dar lied in BBC interview: PM Imran Khan

GILGIT: Former finance minister Ishaq Dar lied during his BBC News’ show ‘HARDtalk’, said Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday. 

"If you want to see stress, you should have seen Ishaq Dar’s face yesterday," the premier said, taunting the PML-N leader. 

PM Imran Khan was speaking at an official visit to Gilgit Baltistan to take part in the oath-taking ceremony of the new cabinet. He spoke in detail about his plans for the development of the region and concluded his speech by lashing out, in usual fashion, against the Opposition and Dar.

Dar, who is also a close aide of ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, had revealed during the BBC interview that he owns only one property in Pakistan and that too, had been seized by the government.

Soon after his interview PTI lawmakers took to social media to bash the former finance minister.

Responding to the PML-N leader's claims of financial transparency, Federal Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar stated that "Dar has been exposed for the umpteenth time".

'People dying from coronavirus and opposition holding rallies'

In his address on Tuesday, PM Imran took a jibe at the Opposition leaders too, including Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari.

He referred to Opposition leaders as a "corrupt mafia", saying that they do not care about the country. The mafia is just hatching conspiracies to save their looted wealth, PM Imran Khan said.

The premier said he has known Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari for the past 30 years. “We have seen God’s wrath bestowed on them,” he said, accusing the two leaders of going to London and Dubai, respectively, with the help of lies. 

Referring to the PDM's recent jalsas, PM Imran Khan said: "People are dying from the coronavirus and the Opposition is holding public rallies."

'Provisional provincial status top priority'

He reiterated that the PTI government would work on a priority basis to grant the provisional provincial status to Gilgit Baltistan as earlier promised.

The premier also congratulated the cabinet and Chief Minister Khalid Khurshid on assuming a “difficult duty to serve the masses”.

He said Gilgit Baltistan will soon get a government which will establish new standards in the region.

“I know your area. I know your problems,” PM Imran Khan said in his speech.

“You people know better than us what projects are needed [in Gilgit],” he said, adding that PTI is working to bring the Ehsaas Programme to the area as well.

He also promised of universal health insurance, saying people would be able to use it by getting treatment at any hospital up to a limit of Rs1 million.

This was the PM's second visit to the region in a month. During his last visit on November 1, just before the election, PM Imran Khan had announced that the government will grant provisional provincial status to Gilgit-Baltistan.