Imran Khan 'sold' gold medal he received from India: Pak Defence Minister
Islamabad, Nov 22: Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan "sold" a gold medal he received from India during his cricketing years, the country's defence minister Khawaja Asif has claimed.
The 70-year-old cricketer-turned-politician is in the crosshairs these days for buying gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch he had received as prime minister at a discounted price from the state depository called Toshakhana and selling them for profit.
During a television programme on Monday, Asif said Khan "had sold a gold medal which he had received from India," the Express Tribune newspaper on Tuesday quoted the senior Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) leader as saying.
Asif did not provide any details about the gold medal Khan allegedly sold.
Khan's actions are not illegal per se but are contrary to the high moral standards Khan always had talked about, the report said.
Usually, such gifts are either permanently deposited in the Toshakhana or can be bought by the person who received them at a lower price.
Khan had been disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan for making "false statements and incorrect declaration" in the Toshakhana issue.
On September 8, the deposed prime minister admitted in a written reply that he had sold at least four presents he received during his tenure as premier, according to the report.
Meanwhile, addressing a session of the National Assembly, the defence minister took a dig at Khan and said the former prime minister has "gone mad for power."
He said Khan should not "target" the institutions that "supported him unconditionally" during the last four years.
Asif said that the PTI chairman could not deliver despite the assistance extended to him by the institutions that backed him. He noted that Khan was censuring the armed forces of the country despite the fact that they had announced to remain apolitical.
"After 75 years, we are at a point where we can say that all the institutions are playing their constitutional role. These institutions extended unconditional support' to Imran Khan," he said.
"He (Imran) should not attack these institutions but rather should be ashamed of himself that despite their assistance he could not perform."
Khan, who escaped an assassination attempt earlier this month, is expected to relaunch his long march this week, demanding early elections.
Khan was ousted in April after a no-confidence motion was passed against him.
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Hindus have consolidated, BJP will cross 135 seats in WB: Suvendu Adhikari after early trends
Kolkata: Suvendu Adhikari on Monday said he was confident that the Bharatiya Janata Party would form the government in West Bengal as early counting trends began to emerge.
Speaking after initial trends in the ongoing vote counting, Adhikari said the party was expecting to win more than 135 seats in the state.
He also claimed that Hindu votes had consolidated in favour of the BJP, which, according to him, would translate into victory for the party.
Counting of votes is currently underway, and official results are awaited.
