The Tehreek-e-Insaf chief, Imran Khan, on Sunday gave an ultimatum to the rulers to declare their assets, or "face civil disobedience and wrath" of the people in a few months. "These rulers and politician have deposited ill-gotten $100 billion in Swiss banks, whereas Pakistan's total debt is $60 billion," he said while addressing a sea of people at the sprawling Minar-e-Pakistan site here.
He said that the rulers have amassed wealth by corrupt means and tax evasion, running into Rs 3,000 billion annually, which ruined the country's economy and increased poverty to a very dangerous level.
He warned that if the rulers did not declare their assets, he would go to the Supreme Court and launch a civil disobedience movement to break the Zardari-Nawaz partnership through "an in-swinger".
He severely criticized the Sharif brothers and President Asif Ali Zardari for plunging the country into chaos, lawlessness, terrorism, and bankruptcy under the garb of democracy.
Announcing his party's agenda for socio-economic change in the country, Imran said: "We have started a tsunami-like mass movement for a corruption[ and exploitation-free Pakistan as envisaged by the Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Mohammad Iqbal".
He questioned how could Asif Zardari provide bread, cloth and shelter when, under his rule, 16000 people have committed suicide.
"No one can now stop this movement," he declared amid thunderous applause by the hundreds of thousands of people present in the rally.
He said that if voted to power, PTI would eliminate the biggest tool of exploitation, the institution of Patwari, in the revenue/land department, and make the police department free of political influence "which is root cause of lawlessness in Karachi". He said that the station house officers would be an elected persons, and inexpensive justice would be provided to all citizens at their doorsteps, irrespective of their social status.
"Every MNA/MPA wants to have a patwari and SHO of his choice so that he can grab the poor people of land and coerce them through police force. We will end this culture and cruel practice," Imran declared.
He said that education and health would be given top priority and empowerment of women would be ensured. "We will guarantee that women get their share in the property under the Sharia."
He said that PTI would immediately solve the problems of electricity and gas load shedding which have stalled the economic growth of the country and made millions of workers jobless.
"Pakistan has rich natural and mineral resources for power generation. We have coal reservoirs of 180 billion tons, which can produce electricity more than the combined electricity production of oil rich countries Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia".
Further, Imran said, Pakistan has the potential to produce 60,000 MW cheaper hydel electricity, "which is not only sufficient to meet our domestic needs but we can also export it".
He said: "We can also double electricity production by modernising the existing thermal power stations." He said the present rulers are not exploiting the coal or hydel potential of the country since there is not much "commission" or "graft" in it.
The PTI chief further said there are bigger gas fields in Balochistan than the Sui gas fields. Besides, there is copper worth $260 billion in the Saindak fields which could be used for the economic uplift of the Baloch people.
He said that PTI would go to the angry Baloch people and bring them back in the national life. "I have talked to former Balochistan chief minister Akhtar Mengal in this regard."
He said that PTI would ensure equal rights for minorities, as promised by the Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and help them in their socio-economic development.
He said that PTI would establish a neutral mechanism for impartial accountability through an independent NAB and Election Commission. The biggest problem facing Pakistan is corruption, which the PTI will strive to eradicate and install honest officers in key positions.
Imran said that Pakistan is a rich country, full of minerals, but the corruption and bad governance turned it into a beggar state. He said that the rulers have sold their nation for dollars. Criticising the government, he said that there is no comparison between Zufiqar Ali Bhutto and Asif Zardari, and the latter has no right to misuse name of ZAB.
Referring to internal situation, Imran said that PTI would not allow the military to attack its people. "PTI believes in talks with the tribals, as there are a million armed tribal people in Pakistan who can not be coerced into slavery."
He said that Pakistan should not fight on behalf of US. "PTI wants to have good relations with the USA and it can help her in getting out of Afghanistan."
On Kashmir, the PTI chief said that his party would continue to support the just struggle of the Kashmiri people. It would make India realise that if a bigger power like USA could not militarily occupy Afghanistan, then India also could not occupy Kashmir for an indefinite period by military force.
Imran said that PTI would adopt an independent foreign policy and break the begging bowl. Pakistan has the resources and potential to be a developed, respectable and economically independent country.
Dancing to drumbeat and waving the party's red and green flags, supporters of Tehreek-e-Insaf filled the sprawling Minar-e-Pakistan ground which was ringed with tight security.
'Who will save Pakistan? Imran Khan, Imran Khan', 'Who will save Pakistan Railways, PIA and Steel Mills, Imran Khan Imran Khan' the crowd chanted.
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