Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has warned that if the Federal government does not initiate a dialogue with the Taliban, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government would start the talks.
He expressed these views while addressing the members of The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry here on Thursday. He also warned that if drone attacks continue, to harm the dialogue with Taliban, his party would stop the Nato supply line to Afghanistan. "In this connection, the PTI would also table a resolution in the KP Assembly," he added. Imran observed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa paying a heavy price due to delay in dialogue with the Taliban, which is successively targeting innocent people for their vested interests. He pointed out that during the All Parties Conference, all political parties gave a green signal to the government to engage Taliban in dialogue, but it is not initiating the talks.
He said the Taliban would not stop the attacks on Pakistan if drone attacks continue. "The Taliban has shown willingness to cease-fire on the condition that the drone attacks are stopped," he added.
On local body elections, the PTI chief alleged that the Punjab government is rigging the elections by spending development funds in PML-N constituencies; he wondered when the PML-N will play a match under neutral empires. He urged the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Election Commission of Pakistan to take notice of the pre-poll rigging carried out by the Punjab government.
He said they accepted the May 11 elections in the interest of the democracy and country, but now they will not allow poll rigging during the local bodies elections. "We demand free, fair and transparent local government elections, and if this necessitates a delay of two months in the elections then it does not matter," he added. "The PTI is ready to come out on streets to protest against fraudulent May 11 elections and anti-people policies. On Friday (today), we will hold protest rallies against prevailing inflation, which is making the life of common people miserable," he added.
To a question, he said he will only say to Bilawal Bhutto that there is no shortcut in politics.
To another question he said he does not need the support of other political parties to become the opposition leader and he will not become the opposition leader with others support.
Referring to economic situation, he said no investment will come to Pakistan unless peace is restored in the country. He observed that more than 70 percent parliamentarians are defaulters of tax. "Rather increasing the tax net and apprehending electricity thieves, the government is causing price hike in the country," he added.
He was of the view that the government needs to extend the tax net rather than imposing more taxes on the poor who are already bound to face the GST and other utility bills, which are nothing but a 'jagga tax'.
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