Pakistan

Imran Khan to protest against drone strikes

Imran Khan confirmed that the protest will be held in Peshawar on the Pak-Afghan highway on April 23 and 24.

Express April 07, 2011

Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan has said on Thursday that he would stage a two-day protest on the Pak-Afghan highway in Peshawar against US Drone strikes and NATO supply.

Speaking at a press conference, Imran Khan confirmed that the protest will be held on April 23 and 24.

Imran condemned the drone strikes and said it is about time action was taken against them

He also stated that this protest would be the first step towards taking a stand against drone strikes.

PTI Chief has urged people from all walks to unite in order to stop NATO supplies and drone strikes in the country.

Talking about the upcoming elections, he said that the Supreme Court must ensure free and fair elections and suggested that the voter's picture should be displayed on the lists as well.

COMMENTS (30)

maira | 13 years ago | Reply way to go! you make us proud!

m.s.janjua | 13 years ago | Reply well done u r the true leader Allah will help u . we r with u

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Mirza Aslam Beg | 13 years ago | Reply Imran Khan is the only honest politician in Pakistan. I wish him God speed.

arshad | 13 years ago | Reply good job by imran khan sahab

Jamsher | 13 years ago | Reply @faraz: Why don't you try to do half of what he is doing? Being a critic is no big deal but you need oil in your backbone to go out and do what you think is right.

zerlis | 13 years ago | Reply IMRAN KHAN! What a name! A true angel, a MESSIAH for the people of PAK-SAR-ZAMEEN!!! I am deeply impressed from you & particularly your DEEDS sir! Pakistan is at the verge of being overtaken due to these cruel dictators sitting on us! U are the MAN WITH A PLAN!! We respect your ideas as they will lead us towards success! We respect your beliefs as they are actually TRUE! We regret your PAST as it does not in any way influence the PRESENT and certainly in fact it will absolutely not affect the FUTURE! hence overall, WE RESPECT U AND THEREFORE WE ARE WITH U IN ALL THE STEPS THAT WILL LEAD TOWARDS THE PROGRESS OF THIS NATION, THIS STATE PAKISTAN!!!!!

zerlis | 13 years ago | Reply @shuki: he is the one who will now change the destiny of this nation!!!

Ajmal Khan | 13 years ago | Reply My simple question is that Khyber pass is only one of the routs from which the NATO supply pass where as Karachi is the main hub where all the supply comes and goes to all routs. Why Imran or anyone else protest/attack the NATO supply in Karachi that they do it in Peshawar, or Peshawar is the place they find good for their drams/proxy wars. Why not do it in Islamabad where they are given permission from and why not the Shamsi Airbase from where drones fly.

Rizwan | 13 years ago | Reply How many more innocent Pakistanis must be terrorised and buthchered by the US (drone attacks) and with the permission of the ruling government (PPP) and its very friendly opposition (PML N)? They should be the ones exerting pressure on the US to stop the murder of pakistanis? Imran is the only leader who speaks the truth, leads by example and cares deeply for Pakistan(is), good luck with the protest Imran.. your the man!!

Cautious | 13 years ago | Reply How about a protest which demands the govt take real control over the tribal territories? How about a protest which demands the govt get rid of the terrorist who control these territories? This guy is nothing but another populist politician who uses xenophobia to crawl over the rights of others to obtain power.

Dr Stuart Jeanne Bramhall | 13 years ago | Reply Well done, Imran. You might also want to suggest that the CIA end their support for the Baloch separatist movement. This is a very delicate topic, which neither the US nor Pakistani government wish to discuss in public. However an increasing number of ex-Pakistani military and intelligence officers are speaking out about it. The Pentagon/CIA make no secret of their desire to see energy and mineral rich Balochistan secede from Pakistan to become a US client state - just like the energy and mineral rich former Soviet republics Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. Moreover it's virtually impossible to distinguish terrorist acts by the CIA-backed Balochistan Liberation Army from those committed by the Taliban or Al Qaeda -especially around the Chinese-built Gwadar Port in Gwadar, Balochistan (the energy transit route for Iranian oil and natural gas destined for China). Given that both China and Iran are both major political/economic rivals, it's a pity the US media doesn't report on any of this. I blog about this at "Our CIA freedom fighters in Pakistan" http://stuartbramhall.aegauthorblogs.com/2011/03/07/our-cia-freedom-fighters-in-pakistan/

Nazia Awan | 13 years ago | Reply Well there is no need to take the name of that columnist-cum-politician-cum-darbari, because you must have guessed him. The real point is his advice to back Imran Khan, because he is the man. Columnist circles in Islamabad agree that the mentined columnist Haroon Rasheed is dreaming about becoming President of Pakistan while dreaming that Imran would be the next premier. Haroon is arranging secret, oh not-so-secret meeting of Imran with the uniformed generals and hoping that establishment would back his trump card. Imran Khan might be a good captain, though I personally doubt that too. The way Imran only agreed to come to Pakistan during era of Zia ul Haq if he be made the captain from abroad and his colorful past and his links with strange people tell loads about him. His support of Musharraf, and then backing off, and then making blunders upon blunders and then again u-turning tells volumes about the political knack of the man. So if anybody tells you next time to side with Imran, think hundreds of time before you make your decision.

shuki | 13 years ago | Reply who is imran khan??

Hassan | 13 years ago | Reply @ hamza Khan, where is the proof of your allegation my friend oh wait you have none because it never happened. As for selling our western borders he wrote it in his book!!!!!!

No BS | 13 years ago | Reply I will see you there on April 23 with my bag packed, it is time to take a stand

wsd | 13 years ago | Reply A genuine leader, the sole spokesman of todays Pakistan........I salute his courage and dedication. Perhaps this the time that our nation needs to realize that PPP, PML N , MQM , PML Q are the old liquor in new bottles and just trash them.

TightDhoti | 13 years ago | Reply Why doesnt he take his protest before GHQ. They are the ones who have allowed and facilitated drone attacks from their inception. Whats the point of having a protest on the Pak-Afghan highway? Those who make the decisions are sitting in Rawalpindi.

Omar farooq | 13 years ago | Reply Imran khan is the only hope.But IMRAN needs to get his priorities right.he needs to speak more on common people's issues such as price hike,load shedding,education emergency etc

John | 13 years ago | Reply Well, can any one logically explain? Drones are over N. Waziristan and surrounding area. All suicide bombers that are currently making havoc in Pakistan against PAK civilians and security personnel are from this area. Perhaps as a revenge over PAK for its operation in SWAT, or S. Waziristan. The US/ NATO pressure on Afghan side drove them to FATA area in general, and these guys instead taking revenge on PAK. Drones are there to keep these guys on the run and all media outside of PAK says certain high value fellows are killed. Civilians are also killed, unfortunately because these suicide guys Leaders hang around with them and use them as human shield. The same civilians are also killed when suicide bomb goes inside PAK by the same FATA gang. Is Pakistan thinking that these guys will eventually go back to Afghanistan and stay there once drone stops and US leaves in Afghanistan ? FATA has become their base, and unfortunately it is in PAK territory. Either drone, NATO, or PAK troops here to get these guys out. Why no one is protesting when suicide guys kill 40 civilians, police and military personnel each day in Pak so to speak? It is not because of drone they kill PAK civilians, they are doing it because they want control of the region, as they nearly got away in SWAT. What use is there in hindering NATO efforts? It is same as stopping PAK army march towards SWAT. Before NATO came in, these guys raped Afghanistan, now some of them are trying to do the same to PAK and are using PAK as base now for global dispatch. Whose benefit is it when politicians march against NATO in the name of drone? Will it benefit PAK people in any way? Unless this whole anti-drone thing is only for short term local political gain. Then what ? The same guys who capture power will have to face these suicide idiots. . Anti-US, anti-drone,etc = support for suicide bomb idiots, either in Pak, or outside PAK unknowingly and indirectly. Please tell the world why PAK want the drone to stop when someone is doing the job of PAK army in the benefit of PAK people, afghan people, and possibly for others benefit. This is where intelligent Imran Khan fails, and indirectly he is supporting the mullah politics. Or is he expanding his base?

sohaib | 13 years ago | Reply Imran we are with you. This war is a sham. Its CIA funded terrorists. First they create these threats and then they ago after them. This is the US version of Imperialism. We must de-link from this war as it is nor our war. It their war who are spending billions stationing their troops her and occupying our neighbor.

faraz | 13 years ago | Reply @muslim Northern Alliance formed in 90s against Taliban consisted of Ahmad Shah Mehsood of Rabbani's Jamiat e Islami which represented Tajiks, Rashid Dostum represented Uzbeks, Hizb e Wahdat represented Shia Hazara, Hikmetyar of Hizb e Islamic consisted of Soviet era pushtoon mujahideen and Abdul Sayyaf of Ittehad e Islami which is a pushtoon based Wahhabi group. Taliban were mainly based in rural pushoon areas. Taliban and Northern Alliance slaughtered each other during the civil war. Only in Mazaar Sharif, Taliban killed around 5000 Shias including 9 Iranian diplomats. Warlords of Northern Alliance and Taliban extremists killed each other in thousands and buried them in mass graves. After 911, Taliban have earned more sympathies of the locals, many pushtoons nationalists have joined their ranks and now Taliban do represent the majority pushtoons of Afghanistan. But they still don’t represent the moderate urban Pushtoons Tajiks, Uzbeks, Hazara, Turkmen, Baloch or Shias; these different ethnicities and sects form 56% of Afghan population. How can Imran claim that Taliban are the true representative of all Afghans?

hamza khan | 13 years ago | Reply @maitre: do you have any proof that the 'dictator' sold our northern brothers (i.e. alqaeda) to the US? in fact, your hero imran khan recently ran to london to meet with the 'dictator' because apparently he has come to his senses and knows that only an alliance with a major political leader will grant hin any sort of legitimacy with the populace, who have in 15 years given him 1 seat. one! hahaa...

Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply AoA I believe God never cherishes the fate of the nation unless a vital percentage of people, in that particular nation, became fair in their dealings and positively contribute to the development of society. Take any example of any developed country like England, Germany, Italy and a lot more down in the list you will not only find the fair and patriot leader but you will also observe that how fair are the people, too, in their daily life matters. So the point I want to make is that Imran Khan is a fair leader and a fair leaders are bestowed to fair nations. Unfortunately, we have forgotten our moral values and torture each other in every city, every street and even every home. Bottom line is that if we want Imran Khan to be our leader some day then we ourselves as citizen of this country must refine ourself and deserve Imran Khan. Thank Your & AoA

muslim | 13 years ago | Reply @faraz: The majority of media lies every single day. Have you ever gone in Afghanistan yourself and asked the people if they want taliban or not? Or have you let the puppet media paid by US dollars make up your minds on what the people think?

zafar | 13 years ago | Reply thats what we call leader. thats how you can free Khaber pakhtomkhua from ANP. PLM N never thought of doing this beacuse they can the friends of govement and america they are cwords. i pray for your success often in my dua. best of luck the FUTURE PRESIDENT OF PAKISTAN.

faraz | 13 years ago | Reply @ABDV Is their a bigger US lackey than Saudi King. And you forgot to mention the complete statement of the King that Pakistan cannot fight terrorism effectively because the head is rotten.....

faraz | 13 years ago | Reply Actually you should protest infront of ISI office or GHQ, which provide the intelligence sharing and air bases. Also stage a protest against the siege of Kurram agency, suicide attacks, blowing up of schools, bombs blasts in mosques, mazaars and imam bargahs, and killings of maliks and lashkars. And what about the 55 percent non-pushtoon afghans who dont want the good taliban? Imran's honesty is impressive but his naivety is amazing.

Noor | 13 years ago | Reply Salam Imran bai, We are with you all the way. Please also enlighten people on the critical topic of gold and copper in Reko Diq which can change Pakistan's destiny. Reko Diq license was sold for $100. All politicians have zipped lips on this topic.

ABDV | 13 years ago | Reply All Imran Khan opposers, why r u silent now? Come up and do ur rant about how Imran Khan cannot be a politician, how his policies are flawed, or how his accent is different etc. Its because of the mindset of people like you that the country is in a mess and lead by a useless corrupt govt. I believe the Saudi king was right when he said "When the head is rotten, the whole body gets rotten" At least this dude (Imran Khan) has some vision for a change.

maitre | 13 years ago | Reply Well done Imran! We support you and your efforts because the military dictator sold our northern brothers for few American dollars in aid. Say no to drones; make the Americans and NATO pack up their bases from Balochistan; say no to aid and save our brethern everywhere in Pakistan! In fact, they are the culprits destroying the harmony of this land. They have sent back RAYMOND DAVIS and likes. CIA alongwith RAW and MOSAD are enemy No 1 of Pakistan!

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