Sharif made $60 mn through sugar trade with India in 90s:Imran

Pakistan Opposition leader Imran Khan has accused Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of making USD 60 million through sugar trade with India in 1990s, a charge rejected by the Premier who said that he will drag the former cricketer to court.

Attacking the Prime Minister, the Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf chief at a press conference here yesterday said, "The Sharif family is expanding its businesses in China and India on behalf of the Pakistan government, which is unfortunate."

He claimed that the Prime Minister's son Hussain Nawaz was meeting with Indian businessmen to expand his family's business, "thus the Sharif family is weakening Pakistan."

The PTI leader alleged that Sharif had earned USD 60 million through sugar trade with India in 1990s.

Alleging that the Sharif family had made over Rs 140 billion through "illegal means after coming to power", Khan said, "How the Pakistani Premier can flourish his family business at the expense of the state."

Sharif's spokesman rejected Khan's allegations and announced to take him to court for legal action.

"The Sharif family rejects the PTI chief's accusation and it will move the court against him in this regard and expose him there," the spokesman said.

On China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Khan said the Chinese initiative was meant for alleviating poverty from China's underdeveloped Eastern parts by developing a link with Gawadar through the shortest possible sea route.

While suggesting that Pakistan should have benefited from the initiative, Khan regretted that the "Sharifs with a view to develop their family businesses realigned the CPEC through Punjab instead of its natural route via Dera Ismail Khan."

"The (other) three provinces are condemning Punjab that will ultimately fan (inter-provincial) hatred and weaken the federation," he said.