LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced a nationwide ‘real independence’ movement and demanded immediate elections.
Addressing a rally here at Minar-e-Pakistan on Thursday, he hinted at marching towards Islamabad and asked his supporters and the party workers to wait for his call.
He categorically stated that he will not accept an ‘imported government” at any cost. “I do not want anything but early elections. Those who committed a mistake should hold early polls,” he added.
Khan said that they have decided to start a movement. He called on the supporters of PML-N and PPP, as well, to support the PTI, as they were unaware of ‘foreign conspiracy’ that had been hatched against his government. “The PTI was a democratic force and wanted democratic solutions,” he added.
He made it clear that he does not want any conflict. “We do not want to hurt our country but we won’t accept this imported government. This movement will gain momentum in the days ahead.”
JI chief too demands fresh elections
He reiterated that if Pakistan did not have a strong army, the country would have disintegrated. “Had our army personnel not sacrificed their lives, our situation would have been similar to the one in Syria and Iraq.”
He accused the Election Commission of Pakistan’s chief of being biased against his party and claimed that his prejudice was so obvious that “he should be given a party position in the PML-N”. He said that if he listens to the cases of all political parties collectively then the nation will know who collected money through proper channels and who through illicit means.
The former Prime Minister talked about the corruption cases against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz and urged the judiciary to protect officers pursuing corruption cases against them.
“Under the present setup, which government officials will take action against them when they know they will be subjected to revenge? Hence, I urge the courts to protect these officers,” he added.
He rejected the Prime Minister’s offer of creating a commission to probe the ‘threat letter’ and said that they will not accept this commission. “We will only accept a commission constituted by the Supreme Court and let us have open hearings so everyone knows what big conspiracy was hatched against Pakistan,” he added.
The PTI chairman claimed that his government was removed through a conspiracy. “My foreign policy that protected the interests of my people did not go well with the foreign powers and hence a conspiracy was hatched against my government”. I raised the issue of Islamophobia at every international forum, which the foreigners did not like either, he added.
The PTI leaders and former federal and provincial Ministers, including Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhary, Hammad Azhar, Pervez Khattak Shafqat Mahmood, Dr Yasmin Rashid, former Deputy Speaker Qasim Khan Suri, Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid, and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam senior leader Moonis Elahi also addressed the rally.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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