Imran wants NRO-like concession in Toshakhana case through blackmailing.

Islamabad      -   State Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik said on Monday that Pakistan will to go to any state including Russia for purchase of cheap oil and gas. “However, in case of purchase of oil from Russia we have to see that purchase of oil will not result in any embargo or sanctions against Pakistan,” State Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik said in a reply to a question during a press conference here. When asked whether Pakistan is considering purchasing oil from Russia, the minister said that there is no issue in purchasing cheap oil from Russia. “However, we have to see that it may not result into any sanctions against Pakistan,” the minister added. Regarding the availability of gas during winter season, the minister reiterated his earlier claim that gas availability during ongoing winter season would be better as compared to previous year. Musadik said the government was making all-out effort to ensure gas availability. The government has arranged two additional cargoes of LNG one each in January and February that will help manage in a better way energy shortage in the coming winter peak with the support of additional imports of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), the minister maintained. He said that 20,000 MT additional per month LPG will be imported during the winter season. Musadik said Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, Sui Southern Gas Company Limited, PARCO and PSO had also been directed in that regard. Discussing political issue, Musadik Malik said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan wanted a National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) like concession in the Toshakhana case through black mailing. The PTI chief has been threatening to hold a long-march whose sole purpose is to get his disqualification reversed in the Toshakhana case, the minister claimed. The minister recalled that Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Shraif was disqualified for not taking salary from his son. On the contrary, Imran Khan had been disqualified over corrupt practices. Musadik demanded initiation of criminal proceedings against Imran Khan in line with the verdict of the Election Commission of Pakistan in Toshakhana case.Imran Khan had committed the worst ever crime by concealing and selling the gifts he received during his visits to foreign countries as Prime Minister of Pakistan, the minister said. He alleged that Imran Khan received several gifts during his visits but did not declare them. However, selling those gifts was tantamount to a bigger crime than that. Imran Khan did not submit any bank statement of the money he earned after selling those gifts, he said. Despite having government in two provinces, PTI was able to bring a small number of people on the roads to protest the ECP decision, the minister said