Panama Leaks: Imran ups the ante against Sharif, calls off intra-party elections

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) called off its intra-party elections on Friday, hardly a month before it was due, saying the party wants to focus on Panama Leaks as it is planning to hold a long march towards Rawind Palace to press Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step down. Speaking at a press conference after a meeting with senior party leadership, PTI chairman Imran Khan said that in wake of Panama leaks, the party cancelled its intra-party elections, to launch movement that will end at Rainwind.
"We're going to stop our intra-party elections till Raiwind march. The membership drive will continue...once the Raiwind March is over, we'll get back to business and hold intra-party elections within three weeks, by then the electoral rolls will also be ready," he added. He said that the party has also formed committees headed by senior party leaders who are making preparations for a grand Raiwind march, which according to Khan, will be the 'last nail in the coffin' of Sharif administration, after the startling Panama Leaks.
PTI chairman also said his party would set up a committee to monitor progress on proposed commission and inquiry till April 24, adding that then the committee would lay out a plan for the Raiwind march. Declaring Panama Leaks a defining moment in history of the country, Imran said that the committees will look at the political side, besides the overseas chapter of the party will contact an international firm on how to proceed against those who stash their wealth in offshore companies.
He called upon overseas Pakistanis to hire a forensic audit firm on behalf of their country to investigate the offshore companies owned by the Sharifs. "This is a defining moment for Pakistanis and let me repeat this is the time we must cash in on the situation if we want to eradicate the menace of corruption from the country as it's destroyed the very foundation of this country," he added.
Khan said that the party may also convene an all parties' conference to chalk out future line of action against the government which, he said, is not ready to hold a through probe against offshore companies owned by no other than all three children of the prime minister. When asked will this also be a solo flight, the PTI chairman admitted having gone for solo flights most of the time, but said: "This time around I'll invite all political parties as we want all political parties to join hands in the struggle against the corrupts".
Khan rejected the reports of rift within the senior leadership of the party ahead of the intra-party elections, saying that grouping in such elections in democratic parties is quite common practice. "Groupings are quite normal within a party during intra-party elections. Both Bernie Sanders and Hillary are democrat candidates but right now they are contesting against each other," he said.
He said that PTI will celebrate its 20th foundation day at F-9 Park, Islamabad on April 24, where he will also announce its future line of action against the government in wake of Panama Leaks. According to Imran, PTI shifted venue of its foundation day rally on government's request from D-Chowk to F-9 Park. "We do not want unnecessary fight, and I'll speak to Chaudhry Nisar if he wants to discuss the issue," he added.