ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Monday clarified that his remarks with regard to Mir Jaffars and Mir Sadiqs were not directed towards the military leadership, but to the “real” Mir Jaffar and Mir Sadiq of today who he called the “Sharifs” – Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif.

Addressing his party’s senior leaders, the former prime minister said that he was not doing politics, but “waging a crusade” against the “corrupt and traitors” who have been “imposed” on the nation through a “foreign conspiracy”.

Responding to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s statement in which he had vowed to take legal action against the PTI chief for his alleged anti-State speech in Abbottabad rally on Sunday, Imran Khan said that he would respond to Prime Minister Shehbaz in his Jhelum rally today (Tuesday), yet he clarified his remarks, saying that the prime minister was “telling lies” that he had made anti-State remarks.

“Tell me any country whose three-time prime minister is staying at the most expensive Mayfair Apartments in London,” he said while referring to the former premier and PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif. “These are the ‘traitors’ of this country. They are Mir Jaffar and Mir Sadiq,” he further maintained. Further referring to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s statement, Imran Khan alleged that his entire family are “liars”.

“Shehbaz Sharif staged a drama that I spoke against the army. He is such a big liar; rather the entire family is a liar. Shehbaz Sharif! I will respond to you in Jhelum’s rally and will tell as to how much I commit disrespect to the army and what you traitors have done to this country. You and your brother are the real Mir Jaffar and Mir Sadiq of this country. You committed plunder and sent money abroad and then got an “NRO”. First, availed an “NRO” from Musharraf and now again pleading for another one. These are the people who [are] responsible for the current problems of the country,” he alleged.

He also attacked Maryam Nawaz without naming her, saying that she used to attack the army by taking advantage of being a woman.

He also responded to Prime Minister Shehbaz about inheriting the economic crisis, saying that his government had inherited the historic current account deficit of $ 20 billion. He also defended his government’s policies during the Covid period. He also maintained that the PTI had left a “strong” economy to the current government.

“We got a difficult time…We left a stable Pakistan and a stable economy with record remittance, exports and revenue collection. Our farmers gave record five crops and the unemployment in Pakistan was record low in the entire Subcontinent even during the Covid period,” he stated, adding that around 5.5 million people died of coronavirus in India while in Pakistan a total of 31,000 people died. “We saved our economy, as well as, human lives and the poor. In fact, we gave you that Pakistan, but you conspired against us together with the US and you committed treason with this country due to which the country is facing such a situation,” he further stated.

He also reiterated that a US under secretary Donald Lu was giving an “order” to remove the prime minister which according to him was what that has angered the people of Pakistan. He went on to say that his party might have accepted if they have brought some good people, but they brought all those “thieves”, “garbage” and “murderers”. “That’s why the people are also not ready to accept them and are attracted to our narrative,” he stated. He also questioned as to why no suo moto action was taken on the turncoats, adding that no one is ready to take an action on this “disrespect of democracy”.

He also referred to the IMF report and claimed that Pakistan was on sustainable growth, adding that his government gave more employment than the two terms of the previous PML-N and PPP governments. “All the criminals have gotten together and how would people trust when there are all criminals in the power,” he alleged.

He also maintained that Israel, India, and the Dutch politician Geert Wilders who committed the blasphemy were the happiest over his ouster. “India was the happiest country on my ouster and their coming into power,” he added. “I’m not doing politics but waging a crusade against them. This is not just politics, but now it is beyond politics,” he added.

He said that he was talking on the issues for the last 26 years, but it has now awakened the whole nation. “We have brave people and whenever you test them you will find them stand ready…but our problem is that the most corrupt, cowards, and traitors have been imposed on us,” he maintained.

The PTI chairman added that his party would not accept the current government and the assembly, terming this a “fraud”, adding that the PTI only wants elections.

He also instructed his party leaders to reach out to their constituencies and sensitise the people for an effective anti-government campaign after May 20. “I want the people to get the facts. After May 20, we would give a call to them,” he said while referring to his proposed march onto Islamabad. He said that he was also aware that the government has planned to arrest him.

Imran Khan also lashed out at the cases against him and his party leaders for after some people chanted slogans at Masjid-e-Nabwi(SAW) on eve of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his delegation performing Umrah. “They must be ashamed of themselves for lodging FIRs against us for what we even were not aware of. We even did not know that they have gone to Saudi Arabia, as we were busy at Shab-e-Dua at that time and got to know as to what had happened to them,” Imran Khan claimed.

Earlier, the PTI chairman launched a “Raabta” application for party membership. Speaking on the occasion, he said that dynastic politics has taken over the country once again. He said that Shehbaz is the Prime Minister and his son Hamza is the Chief Minister of Punjab. “Dynastic politics is similar to kingship because power always remains in one family,” he added.

He said that the PTI will not be a dynastic party, adding that no country can prosper without prioritizing merit. He urged the youth to become member of the PTI.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022