Sharif bent rules to employ more than 300 Indians in his sugar mills: Tahirul Qadri

Lahore: Canada-based Pakistani cleric Tahirul Qadri on Saturday accused Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother of conspiring against the country by giving work to more than 300 Indians in their sugar mills mostly in Punjab province, a claim dismissed by the Sharif Group of Industries.

"The choice before the nation is clear - either Pakistan or the Sharif brothers. More than 300 Indians are workers in their mills. I have released 50 of the 300 names, along with their passport numbers," Qadri, the head of Pakistan Awami Tehreek, said.

He said these workers include engineers, IT specialists, technicians and even welders.

"These Indians were exempted from security checks, police reporting, customs clearance and were transported in official protocol vehicles," Qadri claimed.

Terming Sharif an 'Indian agent', he asked army to arrest him (Nawaz) and his brother Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for conspiring against Pakistan.

Qadri alleged the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi was instructed to give Indians visas that exempt them from reporting to the police.

"Some of them may be Indian 'spies'. It is not written on the forehead of anybody that he is a spy," he said.

"Can't the Sharif brothers find this category of workers in Pakistan? How come that so many of these Indians were on Pakistani soil, enjoying access to the entire country and roaming around official protocol vehicles," Qadri said.

He also showed a letter to the media written by the sugar mills asking the High Commissioner to India for arranging visas for these personnel.

"Since no proper investigation can be held with both Sharif brothers in power, they must be arrested to clear way for the investigation. If my allegations are proven wrong, I would owe an apology to the nation," he said.

Qadri also quoted the World Bank figures which indicate increase of Pakistani money transfer to India.

"When the Sharif brothers took over in 2013, only Rs100 million were going from Pakistan to India. This money jumped to an unbelievable Rs 470 billion within a year, in 2014. Next year, the amount jumped to Rs 490 billion. All these questions need to be investigated by the security agencies," he said.

Responding to Qadri's allegations, Sharif Group of Industries Managing Director Yousaf Abbas Sharif said: "Not a single Indian is working in the Sharif family sugar mills."