Imran Khan, Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician, Chairman of political party Pakistan Tehreek-e- Insaf (PTI) waves to his supporters. PHOTO: REUTERS
The announcement was made by PTI Chairman Imran Khan after a consultative session with the party’s senior leadership at his Bani Gala residence.
The PTI leader revealed the party’s next course of action for its ongoing Tehreek-e-Ehtesab movement, saying the party would launch a march against the prime minister next month and would also take the matter to Supreme Court.
Imran said his party would file a petition in the apex court, supported by evidence that premier Nawaz was the beneficiary of the offshore companies.
He further said that the party, in this regard, would submit receipts of $350,000 transferred to Shamrock Corporation in 1993 when the family purchased flats in Mayfair London.
Giving details of the party’s protest rallies, Imran said that the next rally would be held in Gujrat on August 21 (Sunday) followed by another one in Jehlum August 28. The party, in September, would start its main march from Gujranwala towards Lahore.
The party would announce its strategy in Lahore and convert its rallies into Pakistan March but in the meanwhile also wait for a response from the government.
“In case the government does not accept the party’s demands by September 3, PTI would launch a march against the rulers and take the matter to logical end,” he added.
“We know that the government would never agree to the ToRs,” the PTI chief said while referring to the upcoming meeting of the opposition with the government.
Imran maintained that he does not care about his popularity stating that he “will not leave Panama issue even if it damages my popularity to the extent that I am no more popular… Corruption is eating up the resources of this country.”
“We cannot sit silent over this issue to keep our popularity intact, we will go to every extent,” he added.
Referring to the recent rally in the twin cities, Imran said that the message he received in Rawalpindi suggested that PTI was popular which would be further established during its march towards Lahore.
Responding to a question about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent statements, Imran asked the prime minister to condemn the statement saying condemnation by advisor on foreign affairs was insufficient.
Imran said that his party had waited for five months but the government did not respond. “It is the duty of the government to respond to allegations of the opposition in a democracy”.
Quoting the example of United Kingdom, he said David Cameron had clarified his position but the government in Pakistan was pointing fingers at others.
“The government has started accusing me and my party leaders of money laundering just to blackmail us,” he added.
He claimed that a PML-N member had revealed to him that the government had offered Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif to become field marshal despite the fact that the “General has decided against taking an extension.”
“Nawaz Sharif had tried to bribe the former army chief but General Asif Nawaz refused to take BMW as a gift. They have bribed judges, introduced horse-trading, destroyed police, bribed journalists and used money to win elections,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 17th, 2016.
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