Expressing concern over the sharp increase in targeted killings in Karachi recently, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday called for implementing the national action plan (NAP) in letter and spirit to root out the scourge of terrorism and militancy.
Speaking at a press conference after the party's core committee meeting here, he said NAP was established after consensus by all political parties to crack down on terrorism and to supplement the ongoing anti-terrorist offensive in tribal areas, but the lack of implementation on it will create hurdles in achieving the desired goal to get rid of terrorism.
He condemned the back-to-back assassinations of Sabeen Mahmud, a rights' activist and Dr Syed Wahidur Rahman - an assistant professor of the University of Karachi - and said these incidents indicated there is a need to implement NAP to restore peace in the city.
According to Imran, Rs 430 billion were shifted abroad by different business tycoons due to deteriorating law and order situation, which he declared disastrous for the already fractured economy of the country.
The PTI chairman accepted that the victory of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in the recently held by-elections in NA-246 (Azizabad), saying for the first time Altaf Hussain had to canvass for his party candidate. "A good precedent was set as for the first time free election took place and the MQM was not allowed to rig the polls due to the PTI as out sole purpose was to ensure free and fair elections," he added.
Imran deplored lack of availability of gunny bags to wheat growers in Sindh and Punjab, saying the government must not discriminate among the farmers as there are reports some people are being facilitated by the federal government perspectives.
About a group of PTI workers who were staging protests outside PTI central secretariat, Imran said that this called change, as people are raising voice for their rights, adding no other political party will allow such protest outside their party office or residence of its party leader.
The group of over 100 people who were recruited in the Workers Welfare Fund department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province by the previous government of Awami National Party (ANP) were sacked by the PTI government after it was proved they were handpicked by greasing the palms of a former provincial minister.
Imran said that the provincial government had asked them to appear in the test but they want to be reinstated without appearing in any recruitment test which he plainly declared the provincial government will not allow.
About former Justice Wajihuddin controversy, he said he the election tribunal was dissolved after it completed its work and presented its inquiry report to the party chairman.
He said that the party accepted the probe report of the tribunal report and Tasnim Noorani was appointed as new election commissioner but the former judge was pressing for a caretaker set up, ignoring core committee's decision that the current set will be there unless the intra-party elections are announced.
About his appearance before the election tribunal, he said he was ready to appear before it but he could not make due to his engagement in Karachi by-elections, adding he even asked Justice Wajih that he is ready to talk to him via video conference from Karachi but he insisted to appear before the tribunal in person.
About submitting evidence to the judicial commission holding probe into alleged rigging in 2013 general elections, he said the party will present 126,000 documentary evidence to the commission, exposing the rigging in 74 constituencies by the PML-N. To a question about change in route of Pakistan-China Economic Corridor, he said plainly stated that such move by the federal government will create a sense of deprivation among the smaller provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.