Sans fear: Imran says PTI’s doors open to all political workers

“We have to defeat corrupt mafia to turn the country (into) Quaid-i-Azam’s Pakistan," says PTI chief

CHEECHAWATNI: PTI chief Imran Khan on Friday invited all political workers irrespective of their party affiliation to join his party’s ranks without fear of reaction from radical leaderships, militant wings or the police.

Addressing a huge public gathering here in Sahiwal district during his party’s political campaign for by-election in NA-162, he said: “We have to unite against corruption on all forums … I welcome all honest leaders of all political parties for restoring (Quaid-i-Azam) Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s Pakistan.”

By elections in NA-162 will be held in Cheechawatni on Monday on September 19.

PTI has now given a ticket to Rai Murtaza, a lawyer by profession and a cousin of Rai Hasan Nawaz, while PML-N has fielded Tufail Jutt. Rai Hasan Nawaz was declared ineligible by the Lahore High Court (LHC) and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

According to Imran Khan, activists of many political parties wanted to join PTI, but they feared ‘radical’ reaction from their leadership in Punjab and Sindh.

Talking about the Panama Papers, Imran Khan reiterated his demand, asking the prime minister how he earned the money to buy property abroad.

“We have to defeat corrupt mafia to turn the country (into) Quaid-i-Azam’s Pakistan.”

He said: “Pakistan’s total domestic and external debts stood at Rs6 trillion three years ago, but today they have exceeded Rs22 trillion.”

Imran Khan said that the country is being run on borrowed money, while the country’s money is being wasted on buying properties outside the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 17^th, 2016.