Nation cannot progress until rule of law prevails: Imran Khan

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan said on Thursday that Pakistan cannot progress until the rule of law prevails for everyone.

“No one should be above the law,” he said, while addressing students at a university in Sargodha. “Underdeveloped nations all over the world have low adherence to law.”

Giving the example of Switzerland, he added that the nation had one of the highest income-per-capita rate without any major resources.

“On the other hand, Nigeria and Venezuela have massive oil reserves but still they are under-developed countries,” he said.

“The difference is the rule of law. According to WJP Rule of Law Index 2022, Switzerland has 99.9% adherence to law.”

Drawing comparisons to Pakistan, Imran said politicians in the government were attaining acquittal in cases against them.

Imran Khan says won’t accept ‘powerless govt’ in future

Nearly, 60% of the present cabinet is out of jail on bail, he said.

He also lambasted Punjab Governor Baligh Ur Rehman for blocking his visit to the university.

“I am talking to future leaders and I have the right to address them,” he said

On Tuesday, Imran said that he would not accept a powerless government in his next tenure. He said that he had no powers in his previous tenure as someone else pulled the strings.

Talking to a group of journalists, he said that “my government was weak, and if I got the opportunity to run a similar kind of government, I will not accept it”.

Taking a dig at the government, he said that the reason why the rulers are running away from elections is that they could not face the masses, adding his party would announce the long march for “real independence” this month.

He said that violation of the constitution by the corrupt mafias has become a norm to protect their ill-gotten wealth, adding people belonging to all walks of life especially the media should play their due role to expose those playing with the future of the country.

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He said that this “imported regime” left behind dictators in violation of human rights especially the announced and unannounced curbs on the media.

Khan said that the political struggle of the PTI was based on the supremacy of the Constitution and law, as the creation of a prosperous society without the establishment of justice and the rule of law was next to impossible.

He said that the corrupt ruling elite used every tactic right from filing cases against its opponents under terror charges, off-airing TV channels, and custodial torture of political workers and journalists, but no matter what they do they would be held accountable for what they have been doing.