FAISALABAD:  Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said the “dacoit leaders” of the Opposition parties, who had looted the national exchequer during their tenures, have ganged up in a fear of getting sentenced on their cases of corruption.

Addressing the launching ceremony of the Naya Pakistan Sehat Card Program in Faisalabad,  he termed PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif’s speeches in the Parliament as “job applications”.

In his hard-hitting speech, PM Imran said that those who used to call each other thieves 20 years ago are now joining hands – in an indirect reference to a recent meeting between former president Asif Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore to discuss anti-government strategy.

“The opposition leaders, who had earlier boasted to ‘tear up each other’s bellies to recover looted money have now joined hands,” he said, adding that these politicians had been ruling the country for 30 years.

“They are in hurry to topple the PTI-led government to escape from the jail,” the prime minister added.

Criticising the PPP leadership, PM Imran said that Asif Ali Zardari had emerged in the scene with a stolen cheque book to buy loyalties of the lawmakers of other parties.

Taking a jab at PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, PM Imran said that a “heart patient” was surprisingly climbing stairs and visiting factories in the UK.

“I want to tell you what the dramatist did in the last 5 years and what we have done in three and a half years,” he added.

Referring to the criticism of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto on the government’s national health card scheme, he said his party in its tenure remained incapable of bringing development in Sindh.

“He [Bilawal] now says that they will spend on hospitals rather than the health cards. But, who stopped them during their over 13 year rule to take such steps for the facilitation of common man,” said PM Imran.

He said such corrupt leaders looted money from the national exchequer and transferred it into the accounts of other persons to hide their crimes.

The prime minister lauded Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, health minister Dr Yasmin and their team on the launch of the health insurance scheme.

About his recent visit to China, PM Iman said progress on industrialization was in top focus under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and expressed confidence that it would boost trade activity in the country.

Additional input from APP.