“The man who was seen shooting at the crowd in TV footage is in police custody and we fear he will be killed,” Imran said, while addressing the media in Bani Gala.
Twenty-three-year-old Haq Nawaz was shot dead allegedly by an unidentified Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) worker during the Faisalabad rally.
However, PML-N leader denied having any links with the shooter who was identified by the media as Shahid Ali. Conflicting reports also identified him as Nadeem Mughal, who is a PML-N worker.
Accusing the government of registering FIRs against the “wrong” people and not against those responsible, Imran said the government had committed perjury in this regard.
Faisalabad police registered an FIR against 250 unidentified Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers on Tuesday following Monday’s violent protests.
Lashing out at people blaming him for the death of the activist, Imran said, “I read people’s statements that said I want to play politics on dead bodies ... all I want to say is that the people saying this are intellectually corrupt.”
Addressing the issue of dialogue with the government, Imran said, “In principle, we should not talk to the government.”
At this, PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the PTI would not agree to “conditional talks” with the government.
Earlier, The Express Tribune learnt Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would deliberate with the senior leadership of his party and heads of various political parties on setting an agenda for talks with the PTI.
The PTI chief continued: “We want to continue talks at the point where they broke off from.”
Further, shifting his focus to an election tribunal’s short order to call for the opening of voting bags in NA-122 -- the constituency where Imran has alleged rigging -- the PTI chief said, “It took over a year for the election tribunal to order opening of ballot bags in NA-122 because National Assembly speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq was hiding behind stay orders.”
“If there was no rigging and Sardar Ayaz Sadiq had won, then there was no need to hide behind stay orders,” he alleged.
Further, he said the nation will find out whether rigging was carried out in the constituency only if Sadiq does not call for another stay order.
Questioning once again why the government fears opening ballots in the four constituencies where he has alleged rigging, Imran said, “The ANP has alleged rigging in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and we will gladly open ballots there to prove there was no rigging.”
COMMENTS (17)
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Pakistan needs a leader people not personalities like Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif. The worst is yet to come brothers. You cannot trust any one these, how can you say these people are going to change Pakistan ? You have fight on your own to save this country rather than listening and following the orders of corrupt politicians. Wake up and save your country,
@Dija: get over this......what's do you expect? person like imran to pull a miracle? pakis are delusional, thinking the 50 years of decline and the pending issues will just disappear in 6 months time...........corrupt societies get corrupt leaders.........once a good society prevails, good leaders will emerge...........i'm still seeking answers from this guy aka imran.........what do you have to offer? how will you bring change?............don't tell me nawaz this or zardari that? everyone knows that already.
The only hope and savior for our country in the shape of Imran Khan. The only leader on whom one can trust for making the country a respectable country in the world. A person who has the desire to see his pakistani a trustworthy and respectable human being of the world. I really salute to his courage, boldness, straight forwardness, honesty, truthfulness. I see almost all the qualities that a pious and true muslim must possess. Our all prayers are always follow him. I attended Dharna and listen almost all the speeches subject to availability of power and cable. May All succeed him in all his good intentions and deeds. All honest pakistanees are waiting for his success.
The corrupt politicians who have gathered now will soon hear the music.
This is one of the bad example set by Punjab police (shame on them). That a person shot multiple fires while 100's of police was there. Why didn't they catch him. They should have caught him and told the media that he is in their custody. Why they are not telling if the have him or not. Why the whole nation is guessing about that person. Definitely there is some thing Punjab government trying to hide.
The shooter could be in the house of that man called Sana or bhanja of Shabaz. Mamoo anounced 50 Lac prize for capture of the shooter because he knew nobody will find this criminal.
does he have any proof of what he is saying. This man is one big lier.
I had lost all hope In Pakistan and I had never ever voted in my life as my view was that one Badmash will beat the other Badmash in polls, but the end result will be the same. But when I saw and heard about IK, the more I listened to him, the more I realized that what he was saying were my words, my friends words, my moms wishes. I know that every cloud has a silver lining and the silver lining of Pakistan was Imran Khan. From that day I followed IK very closely to judge him. The more I judged him, the more he came true to his promises. I had come to the conclusion that this man had the least difference in what he said and did in comparison to others. A great man leads by example and apologizes for his mistakes. IK did the same. I pray to Allah the give the people of Pakistan the vision to differenciate between good and bad leader. Aameen.
@Layman: Rightly said sir. We are still siting in our homes. Chanting Go Nawaz Go where only the walls of our house can hear it. We must get out and show solidarity to IK.
“The ANP has alleged rigging in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and we will gladly open ballots there to prove there was no rigging.”
Only people who haven't rigged make statements like this. Has any PMLN rep ever made a statement like this?
Makes you think....
Imran Khan is our only HOPE.God forbid if he fails for us Pakistanis it will be dooms days till the day of the judgement.
Unless we de-politicize police there is no way we can get justice.....
Imran Khan I sincerely wish you best of luck to get us out of the mess we are in. For some reason, we as a nation was so demoralized that even mediocre seemed best to us. Thank you for giving us hopes and dream of Naya Pakistan. InshaAllah we will make it happen ...
Hold on to it Imran Khan, you are inspiring millions in Pakistan and overseas. I have seen kids, teenager, youngsters, men, women and grand parents supporting you all the way and you being there role model. Million prayers of million mothers are with you. I salute your courage and detemination. Today every parent says to their childeren "be like Imran Khan". I doubt there are any left in the country who would advise their childeren to be like Zardari or Sharif.
Imran khan, a living legend of Pakistan a philanthropist, patriotic and passionate about his country like many other common Pakistanis, but unfortunately he is up against a status co which has its roots deeply underground this rotten system, all common Pakistanis knows very well they he is the one with out any greed of power and money, could have easily lived a retired life after cricketing career like many others but may be he felt the pain of seeing his country going down more then us, that's why we are sitting in our homes and he fighting for our rights, Pakistanis is proud of this son of the soil, May GOD bless you..ET don't sensor the comment please..
Go Nawaz Go!!!!
Dear IK you are the only hope of this nation, who has shown courage and resilience to fight the corrupt and unjust system.