There is no room for opportunists in Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and only honest political leaders can stay in PTI, the party's Chairman Imran Khan said on Wednesday. He was expressing these views while responding to a question about the resignation of PTI Senior Vice-President Shirin Mazari during a press conference held in connection with the joining of politicians belonging to PML-N, PPP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Imran said no one in his party was demanding a portfolio, adding that the party's ideology was compelling the people to join the party. He was certain that the party would further strengthen in the coming four months.
According to him, PTI is a party that is not banking on names that became its part, instead it is fighting for the nation on the back of its ideology. PTI, he said, was "an ideological party" that intended to bring about fundamental changes in the way Pakistan was governed. Claiming of achieving a "convincing win" in the elections, Imran said that if voted to power, PTI would put the country on the right track.
While referring to a report on drone attacks compiled by Stanford University, he claimed that the US, in connivance with the Pakistani government, was carrying out drone attacks in tribal areas. He pointed out that the report observed that innocent tribesmen were being killed during drone attacks and the government "is silent on the issue".
Criticising President Asif Ali Zardari, he said that he had no time to address the masses or visit calamity-hit areas, but he had all the time to address the United Nations. "The President thinks that the US will get him re-elected, but he should wake up to the reality," he added. He also saidt no party in Pakistan could dare hold a public meeting "in Quetta or go to Waziristan, it is only PTI's vision to take such bold decisions"
"PTI will ensure that Pakistan becomes an Islamic welfare state in the real sense of the term," he said. On the occasion, Imran welcomed the joining of Jaleel Ahmed Sharagpuri, a former PML-N MNA and former district nazim, and former federal minister and founding member of PPP Ahsanul Haq. Also among those who joined PTI were: PPP ticket holder from Sargodha Hafiz Abdul Rehman Saahi, senior member of Jamaat-e-Islami from Rinala Khurd Chaundhry Waheedud din and Nazim Sabir Hussain Bhatti from Farooqabad.