Pakistan: Imran Khan blasts Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for taking family on foreign tours

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan has lambasted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for taking his family members on official foreign trips.

The cricketer-turned-politician was addressing his followers in front of parliament house here last night.

Sharif is currently visiting China and has taken his younger brother and chief minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif with him, where he was seen with the prime minister on important events and engagements.

"Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is on an official visit to China and his younger brother Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is accompanying him. But why Pervez Khattak, who is also a chief minister (of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province), is never invited to accompany the prime minister on his foreign visits," Khan said.

Shahbaz is considered as trouble shooter and close confidant of the prime minister. Recently he was involved in secret meetings with the army when opposition protests threatened to topple his brother.

Khan said Sharif is one of the richest men in Pakistan and his wealth is increasing under his own rule. He said that the Sharif family was investing in other countries but asking foreign investors to invest in Pakistan.

The former cricket star was addressing his supporters on the 87th day of his sit-in and said the protests would continue till Sharif stepped down as prime minister.

Khan has been agitating since mid-August outside parliament with his supporters, demanding Sharif's ouster as he alleges that last year's general election, which his party lost and which brought Sharif to power, was rigged.