Imran Khan says terrorism was the main cause for the prevailing economic crisis. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD: Terming the menace of terrorism as the biggest challenge for the country in the year 2013, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday called upon the government, political parties and all other stakeholders to sit down and chalk out a comprehensive strategy to flush out terrorists from the country.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Imran Khan said that the menace of terrorism was a major hurdle in the country's progress.
He said that terrorism was the main cause for the prevailing economic crisis, adding that the government should take immediate steps to provide protection to the people, which was its constitutional obligation.
Condemning the murder of 21 levies officials by Taliban and the targeting of a bus carrying pilgrimages in Mastung which claimed another 20 precious lives, Imran said that during the past years, thousands of innocent people and security personnel had been killed in various terrorist activities.
The PTI chief urged that the government should work out a well-thought-out plan by taking all the political parties and other stakeholders on board to weed out the menace of terrorism for ever from the country.
Imran said that it was need of the hour that the government takes these steps to get rid of these problems. He hoped that the new year would bring a change in the country through which the would progress by leaps and bounds.
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change has come IK deeming "Terrorism the biggest challenge for Pakistan" thanks God he has the realisation.
WHAT A LOAD OF CLAPTRAP IF HE WAS SO CONNECTED HE WOULD HAVE BEEN ELECTED AGES AGO WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF PAKISTAN WE ARE THE PTI PAKISTAN ZINDABAD PTI ZINDABAD IMRAN ZINDABAD WE WILL PREVAIL INSHAHALLAH
Imran khan is nothing but a neo-con stooge who has the full support of his masters hence the attendance of the top echelons of neo-con intellectuals and policy makers such as Dr. Henry Kissinger and Wolfowitz at his marriage to Jemima daughter of another neo-con leader and financier the billionaire Sir James Goldsmith. Pakistan has great strategic importance as it is the only Islamic nuclear power with uranium enriching capabilities and also has the world’s largest uranium reserves in NWFP and neighboring Afghanistan. Pakistan is also located strategically sharing borders with Afghanistan China India and Iran. The neo-cons want to divide Pakistan into different entities so as to weaken it and thus make it easier to control; they have chosen Imran khan to achieve this objective. For which he has their full support, hence the stoking of the fire of various separatist movements throughout the country which are all pieces of a jigsaw coming together.
It is very sad that people are still saying that it is not our war. We have lost 43,000 lives and even it is not our war. I am an open opponent of Imran Khan but he has come to right direction now and alas! he took great time to realize about the gravity of terrorism threat. Pakistan Zindah Bad
even than you are supporting the Taliban
A sincere thanks to Imran Khan, for endorsing the non-violence philosophy of Baacha Khan & the struggle of ANP & over 40 Pashtuns martyrs -as Pashuns sayings goes 'if a person lost in the morning, come back till evening, is not lost" Thanks for coming back from the ideology of tared and violence and can become a strong ally to the Qaam Parast forces, the people of Pakistan and the emerging civil society. Wish peace and good times ahead for Imran Khan and PTI friends,
A sincere thanks to Imran Khan sb for endorsing the non-violence philosophy of Baacha Khan & the struggle of ANP & over 40 Pashtuns martyrs
Terrorism the biggest challenge for Pakistan; but only to those who call spade a spade and do not become apologists of the beasts unleashing this terror.
OMG! Finally, Mr Khan has "begun" to understand that the people of Pakistan are faced with "terrorism". How many lost lives did it take for him to understand this?
There is only one strategy left with Pakistan and that Is to eradicate terrorism by force. Not just the Taliban but all varieties of it. He should physically disassociate himself and his party from the DPC, and all right wing religious parties. That way there is a chance the PTI will be seen as a real 'change'.
New year brings new mind set in him.
According to consensus among pakistanis that TTP are undoubtedly the PAK terrorists. But I remember IK wanted to negotiate with them and took a march to Waziristan, and was against the army operation in Waziristan and wanted to negotiate.
So, now he acknowledges that terrorism is the biggest challenge to PAK ? I wonder what caused the change of heart.
May be his definition of terrorism is anything against his view.
I surprise to see when some people say that IK says a lot but do nothing. My question to all those people is that what can a man do without power?
India is also suffering from terror but of a different kind- police terror. Police can frame false charges against a citizen, harass by blackmailing, impounding, or extortioning, threaten, not lodge a complaint or protect the guilty. What do Pakistanis feel India should do to eliminate that terror? What do they think are the root causes of police inaction in India?
they are part of security forces. I think usually they are in the tribal regions of KPK and balochistan
can someone help me, whar do they mean, when they say "Levies Personnel" ... Is it some kinda tax collector, or something?
Please stop it now! The country is going through so much already. Shouting about terrorism and doing nothing is not going to help the cause. The basic needs should be given first.
To all those who are convinced that it is Imran who has the magic wand.. If he gets elected he will take care of everything... see running a country is not as simpl as that... You should realize that politicias dont really run the country, they just facilitate the system and supervise... And the people doing work, are corrupt to the core and really addicted to money from under the table... So, it is you and each one of pakistanis, who need to come out and voice out. You should nto forget that every time Military took over, the excuse was corruption, and claiming that people have lost hope in their leaders... Then it takews 4-5 years for ppl to realize that they hv been cheated... they raise the voice and another 5 years, army leadership allows election... 2-3 year of democracy, and the game starts... Corruptin, Corruption... Oh My God, Qayaamat aa gayee.., Since jinnah, till today, all the leaderx, either Army, Politicais, Or bureaucrat took over for there was lot iof corruption and they are gonna be the saviors. It even continues till today, may be will continue for soje more decades... Every 2-5 years, new Imran khan keeps coming up... Tom and Jerry has been playing in pakistan since 1947 - present... As media keeps on saying that one should learn from history, so that they can avoid mistakes, the second time.. Why dont you guys back & ask yourself, is this the first time Pakistan sees some Imran as the last hope, or it has always been like that every 4-5 years?
Real solution may lie within each one of Pakistanis; Oh Yes, Why should one bother, Since everybody is over-confident that Imran will deliver it for sure... If in case he does not do it, then it will be ok to blame him and find some other leader to replace him... dont you guys think, its time up for the Climax and everhyone collectively takes the responsibility, rather than blaming someone. Dont try to find the solution iin Army, Democracy, or Imported Personalities... Nobody can change anything until & unless, each one of you owns up the problem, and looks for the solution since you are the owners of your country, not politicians. You are the boss and p0oliticians are kinda ur subordinates. If your elected politicians dont get it done, it is you who is to blame, 'cause you were irresponsible and incapable of getting tour work done... Come out of the slavery mindset, Guys, if you do not realize, you are no longer slaves, you are free and should own ur life & its problems
I believe, that the ultimate supreme for any country is its people... There is no value for Constitution, Army, SC, or Suo Motu CJ, vs the collective decision taken by the ppl of thhe ladn. Nobody should be able to turn it down. You need to make sure that nobody takes advantage of your ignorance.
It seems year 2012 made our Kaptaan little wiser before its end! Surprisingly he started seeing terrorism to be a Pakistani problem and suggesting government his ideas in much more conciliatory tone. So is this the end of Islamic welfare state he has been espousing all these year and his move towards a secular polity which is the only way out for Pakistan from current morass.
Hope this is a sincere statement that he sticks with in 2013 and beyond. He's made brilliant comments before but tends to follow it up with contradictions that dilutes it or ruins his image.
His past Taliban and extremist apologist excuses and conditional condemnation (not our war, blame US, drones, poverty, bad governance, misunderstood tribal insurgents, justified Jihad, foreign meddling, etc) for most atrocities and deaths of Af-Pak's citizens: military, police, civilian, minority, children, etc, left questions about his seriousness, principles, sympathies and leanings.
He has been saying the same thing again and again. Only that he offered an alternative strategy but which unfortunately is hard to sell in an environment which has so much smoke and propaganda. He has always said that terrorism and extremism is increasing every passing day. He only says that using military will not reduce it. You have to get the tribals on your side and stop the suicide attacks. Engage with your own people and then cut down the real hardcore elements (those who are represented by the spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan). Also only a clean government with no ulterior motives can deploy an impartial police force, which can then deweaponise our beautiful cities which are being run down by these armed target killers of various parties and sectarian groups.
Afraid people will still not miss an opportunity to call him Taliban Khan and not understand his vision for this beautiful country which is slowly and slowly crumbling down :S.
we are with u Khan
When focus was upon him, he did not make such statements. Now he has been made insignificant and filled his position with another player, his statements have also become ineffective.
We need to put this man in the driving o seat to get somewhere--as an outsider, there is only so much he can do and God knows he has done a lot! Vote PTI, change the course of our nation!!!
Well said. IK bashers will say whatever they want, but at least here is someone who is talking about solutions and priorities!
"Imran Khan said that the menace of terrorism was a major hurdle in the country’s progress." - I wish he had mentioned corrupt leadership alongside terrorism, because corrupt leadership is equally (if not more) to blame for Pakistan's economic woes.
oh so he finally realized - never too late - he's growing up! by age 75 he will know better.
Thanks God you realized it. So how about stepping forward and condemning those who are involved in terrorism such as Taliban
Hope the nation will wake up to Imran Khan's call for change in 2013.
Imran khan sb i will vote for you and i pray the youth of pakistan votes for you as well. No qadri type distraction can stop you from from defeating status quo
not in 2013 alone..thats been the problem since 65 years ....
Mr Khan, your concern regarding terrorism in Pakistan is fine but two things you have to bear in mind that it would neither go even after the foreign forces leave Afghanistan nor through negotiations with this insane lot who believe in killing innocent people including women and children, beheading and murdering soldiers and politicians, killing polio workers, destroying education institutions in the name of Islam to force their ideology on people of Pakistan which is unacceptable to the majority in this country. Those who have no regard for human lives and do not think twice before shooting a woman or child need to be dealt with an iron hand as saving innocent people is the foremost duty of the state which is more important than their outdated ideology which has few takers in Pakistan.
But it was not our war, as you have been professing in the past!!! How come now it is our beggest chanllenge and we will be fighting for it and not for USA anymore.
No Khan they wont, because they dont want to, else the aid coming from US will be put on hold
A mature statement from a capable Leader in turbulent times. He has the ability to SET direction
imran is right