PP-232 by-election: No one can save Nawaz now, says PTI chief

Imran once again demands Rangers-led operation in Punjab

MULTAN/ BUREWALA: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan on Monday said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has gone to the extent of seeking help of his “foreign friends” to save his skin from corruption allegations.

“No pressure – either from his foreign or local friends – can influence my resolve to pursue corruption cases against Sharif and they will not be able to save him now,” Khan said while addressing a political rally in Burewala in connection with the by-election in PP-232 (Vehari-I) to be held on August 31.



The main candidates are Chaudhry Muhammad Yousaf Kaseliya of the PML-N, a de-seated MPA, and Ayesha Nazir Jatt of the PTI.

Khan once again demanded launching a rangers-led operation in Punjab on the pattern of Karachi because in his views “police in the province have been completely politicised by the Sharifs”.

“The demand to launch a rangers-led operation is being made on merit because no institution is working independently in Punjab,” adding, “it has become the most corrupt province of the country.”

He accused the Sharif family of treating the country as their fiefdom and said “save for a few, all state institutions have been politicised to the detriment of the country and what they (the PTI) were rallying against was the dysfunctional nature of state institutions”.

“Nawaz Sharif has been donning the cloak of ‘Amirul Momineen’ (absolute leader of the Muslims) and governing the country as if it is his kingdom.”

Khan warned the people that their future generations would suffer the fallout of his style of governance, adding that “I will not allow this to happen”.





“Sadly, the same situation has been prevailing here in the name of democracy. What kind of democracy is this where a prime minister stayed away from the country on the excuse that he needed medical treatment while leaving his poor people in misery?”

The PTI chairman said that police have become a tool in the hands of the Sharif family. “First, there were Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, and now we have Hamza Shahbaz and Mariam Nawaz as well, and if this trend continues, then tomorrow it will be the sons and daughters of Hamza Shahbaz and Mariam Nawaz, taking their turn to destroy our country.”

Khan said there is a one-man show in Punjab. “And don’t take that man as Shahbaz Sharif. In fact, that man is Hamza Shahbaz because he has set his eyes on becoming the next prime minister of the country.”

He invited the people of southern Punjab to participate in the PTI rally to be taken out in Lahore on September 3 against corruption. “We stand united against corruption and will demand accountability.”

“I will not let all the budget of Punjab to be wasted in Lahore.” He said despite a huge expenditure on infrastructure, the recent rains have exposed the hollow claims of development in Lahore of Shahbaz’s government.

“As against this only 3% budget is allocated for southern Punjab.” He accused the government of destroying the agriculture sector by focusing on “running iron and steel factories” and building projects like the metro-bus and Orange Line Train.



“Our problems are the energy crisis, the agricultural crisis, the fuel crisis; and they cannot be solved by distributing money among people. We need concrete solutions to these problems.”

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Awami Tehreek, accepting the PTI’s invitation, announced to take part in the rally against corruption to be taken out in Lahore on September 3.

A PTI delegation led by former Punjab governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar met PAT secretary-general Khurram Nawaz Gandapur and extended the invitation. The PAT assured full participation in the accountability rally while Sarwar assured them of full support for the Qisas Movement.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2016.