Imran Khan warns ‘imported govt & its backers’ to hold early & transparent elections to let change come through power of vote
CHARSADDA, Sep 17 (SABAH): Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has warned the ‘imported government and its backers’ to hold the early and transparent elections to let the change come through the power of vote, warning that the situation would get out of control if polls were delayed any further.
“If you stop this ‘peaceful revolution’ then as World Bank has predicted the game [situation] would get out of everyone’s hand. Let the change come through vote,” Imran Khan said while addressing his party’s power show in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda district on Saturday.
Imran Khan while addressing the coalition government and its ‘backers’ said, “No matter what you do you cannot win this match you have already lost this match… economy is sinking fast and the world is not willing to give them [government] financial aid for flood victims.”
The PTI chairman said there is still time to steer the country out of quagmire by holding free and fair elections, adding that “the time is not far when he gives call to the nation to achieve real freedom”.
Quoting IMF and World Bank reports, Imran Khan claimed that the country was going down under the incumbent rulers. “Pakistan is going to become Sri Lanka. Those responsible for toppling my government will not be forgiven,” he added.
“Sindh is worst-hit from floods but because of Zardari, the international community is not ready to help,” said the former premier.
While comparing his tenure with the incumbent government, Imran Khan said prices of everything including fuel and electricity have gone through the roof. “During our time, petrol was Rs150 a litre at that time crude prices were between $95 to 110 per barrel but today despite drop in global prices petrol is expensive in the country,” he added.
Speaking about the rise in terrorist attacks, Imran Khan urged the federal government to fulfill its duty and restore law and order in Malakand district of the province. Imran Khan said: “Law and order has deteriorated in Malakand. The KP police are trying their best, but the federal government should take charge and carry out its duty instead of only trying to somehow make me a terrorist or register cases [against me].” He said the people of KP had made a lot of sacrifices and it was the government’s responsibility to address the worsening law and order, especially in the tribal districts. There has been a surge of targeted killings and extortion in KP, particularly in Malakand division.
“They came to power to shut down their corruption cases and I just got to know that Ramzan Sugar Mills case is also being closed down,” he said in his opening remarks while coming down hard against the PDM government.
The former PM claimed that witnesses in the money laundering case died of heart attacks, “but they were killed… it will come to fore when transparent investigation is held”.
Imran Khan said rupee has lost 30 per cent of its values since the PML-N-led coalition government came to power.
Calling upon the nation not to vote for those leader who have offshore assets, Imran Khan said if he came to power again he will not spare anyone, adding that those whose wealth is stashed abroad will not be made minister in his government.
Imran Khan said his party-governed K-P province suffered the most by joining the US war on terror and added that Pakistan should not participate in any conflict under the “servitude of any superpower”.
He claimed that the incumbent rulers were imposed upon the country through a ‘conspiracy’ because “America wanted our rulers to roam around the world like beggars, but we will not compromise on our country’s foreign policy for any country”.
He said there was no other solution to the country’s current issues other than fresh elections that would bring political stability and subsequently, economic stability. “I am preparing all of you then when I give you the call, you have to set out with me for real freedom.”
Imran Khan claimed the entire nation was saying with one voice that the current “imported government is unacceptable”.
The PTI chief said he had a message for the government and “those standing behind it”, that the nation would not forget and God would not forgive those who were responsible for removing the PTI’s “good functioning government”.
Imran Khan told the government that if it thought it could use cases against the PTI or try to silence the media then “no matter what you do, you can’t win this match. You’ve lost.” He added that the economy would only continue declining the longer that new elections were not held.
Taking a dig at Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Chairman, Imran Khan said that Moulana Fazlur Rehman can announce a fatwa if he is given money, adding that the imported government was imposed on us through conspiracy.
The PTI chairman further said that the incumbent rulers say that the PTI government laid landmines, but when we assumed power in 2018, the external deficit was $20 billion, and when we left the government on April 9, the external deficit was $16 billion and the income was $31 billion. Despite the pandemic, record exports were being made with the record production of four crops during the PTI government’s tenure.