Potential game changer

Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan's massive show at the Minar-e-Pakistan here on Sunday appeared to be a potential game-changer that could revitalise his party's anti-government strategy. The PTI surpassed its own previous record of people's participation that it registered at this venue three years ago. This was the third huge public gathering addressed by Imran Khan at the sprawling Iqbal Park during past three years that gave a new impetus to Imran Khan's politics and popularity.
Amid deafening 'go-Nawaz go' slogans, Imran asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to delay his resignation so that he had ample time to create awareness among the masses throughout the country. According to him, people have rejected sham democracy that makes rich people richer and the poor more poor.
Imran termed members of the present Parliament a 'bunch of plunderers' and 'looters' of the national wealth and resources. According to him, the number of people living below the poverty line has gone up to 110 million. "Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari have joined hands to protect and preserve the present self-serving and exploitive political and economic system so that their generations could maintain their hold on the poor masses. The whole Parliament has united not to save democracy but their own vested interests since they have no concern for the problems and miseries of the masses," Imran said.
He said that the Zardari government had doubled the electricity tariff in five years. Insofar as the incumbent government is concerned, it has increased electricity tariff by 82 percent in one year, he added. Imran said government had itself admitted that it over-billed consumer by Rs. 70 billion recently.
PTI Chairman spoke about alleged vote rigging in the 2013 general election in detail and alleged that "the Mir Jaffer of Pakistan's democracy former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry controlled the Returning Officers who played a pivotal role in the election fraud. Besides Election Commission of Pakistan and Nawaz Sharif were also hand in glove to deprive the voters of their true choice of candidates."
He demanded of the ECP to upload Form -14 on its website immediately so that the political parties would verify authenticity of the polls otherwise his party would move the court for the redressal of their demand.
Imran Khan reiterated that he would not end his dharna unless Nawaz resigned. "Sharif's previous conduct has proved that he is a trader of peoples' consciousness. The Sharifs were brought up in the nursery of General Jilani and General Ziaul Haque," he added.
PTI Chairman promised to hold a fair trial of all those who were found involved in vote rigging.
He said his party's political and economic agenda would be aimed at increase tax collection manifold, introducing drastic austerity measures eradicating three forms of education - English medium, Urdu medium and religious seminaries. There would be a uniform education system for all, he added.
He said poverty alleviation was no big problem. "If China can lift 400 million people in twenty years, why cannot we do the same? Philanthropists and rich people of Pakistan are more than willing to help the government in its mission of poverty alleviation of 110 million people if they are assured that their money will not be squandered".
The public meeting was also addressed by Vice-Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Chief Minister KPK Pervaiz Khattak Sh. Rashid Ahmad of AML, Jehangir Tareen, Ejaz Chaudhry Aleem Khan and other PTI leaders.
After delivering a more than 70-minute speech, Imran left for Islamabad to join his permanent sit-in at Islamabad's D-Chowk. He said PTI would hold its next public meeting in his Mianwali constituency on 2nd October.