LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan has said he was giving a call for a ‘long march’ because he considers the present rulers as a security threat. While addressing a select group of journalists on Wednesday, he further said that he did not enjoy ‘absolute’ power as prime minister as “the real power lies elsewhere and everyone knows where that was.”
Had I got half of the power during my tenure as prime minister, I would have been more effective than Sher Shah Suri, he claimed. He said running the country’s affairs was his responsibility, but it was ruled by someone else.
He observed that in the 60s, the world used to see Pakistan as an example of a progressing country because it was competing with Singapore.
Meanwhile, the PTI chief also addressed the Insaf Student Federation convention. He was accompanied by Punjab Senior Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal and other senior party officials.
Imran Khan warns authorities against ‘quelling’ Azadi March
On this occasion, he alleged that ‘another criminal’ was made Sindh’s Governor. He said his struggle for a ‘haqeeqi azadi’ (true independence) was not a political movement, but a ‘jihad’ and the students should take a lead in this movement. He further said that during the Pakistan independence movement, it was the students who spread awareness and motivated the people to join the movement. “Hence, I urge you all to take my message to the people that they should take a stand against the thieves; otherwise, we do not have a future.”
He also asked them to distribute pamphlets on ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’ March in universities and colleges. He observed that it has always been the students who took lead in the major revolutions that took place in the world. “You remain prepared; I will give you a protest call soon. This time we will come with full preparation,” he added. On this occasion, he took an oath from the students to protect the Constitution and the country and that they will continue to wage a struggle for achieving a haqeeqi azadi.
Earlier, the former prime minister also addressed the Insaf Doctors Forum.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022