Imran announces campaign to force PM to resign

Rejects JIT to investigate the Sharif family

ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Friday announced launching a protest campaign that according to him aimed at ousting Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from his office and would continue till achievement of its objective.

Khan also rejected formation of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to further investigate the prime minister and his family members as directed by the apex court, saying “it will be of no use while Nawaz Sharif holding the position of the prime minister”.

He said this while speaking to the media in front of the Parliament House. Infuriated at not being given a chance to speak on the floor of the National Assembly on Friday, Khan and other PTI legislators were wearing black ribbons around their arms to record their protest.

Khan said as part of the campaign, he would address a public gathering in Islamabad on coming Friday.

“We will hold massive public gathering on next Friday in Islamabad and we will demand the prime minister to resign. This campaign will continue until the PM resigns. I ask countrymen to come forward and demand [his] resignation." Khan said.

On the one hand the Supreme Court says all state institutions were ineffective and not ready to hold corrupt accountable, how come these institutions would hold free and fair investigations with Nawaz Sharif holding the office of the chief executive of Pakistan, he said.



"Would the prime minister whose billions of rupees assets and properties are at stake allow state institutions to hold free and fair investigations?" he asked.

He said the PTI would hold consultation if the SC should be asked to revisit its decision of formation of a JIT.

He said the PTI was a democratic party and democratic parties consult countrymen and we would go to public if the PM refused to step down.

“The PM has been caught red-handed. JIT would only be a viable option if PM steps down.”

Khan said all five judges had rejected their [Sharif’s] defence, adding that it never happened in the history of Pakistan.



“If such comments would have been passed against the chief executive of some other country, his own party would ask him to resign.”

“How this party, the PML-N, would go to the masses to seek votes in the presence of such observations from the judges against their head?”, Khan questioned.

Khan said he was a petitioner in the Panamagate case, but he was not allowed to speak on the floor of the house.

“I would ask the N-league why you have distributed sweets; you should have at least read the judgement before chanting slogans.”

He said all opposition parties were united over the issue and demand the prime minister’s resignation.

Meanwhile, the PTI on Thursday said it would file a reference against NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry under Article 209 for his disqualification.

PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry said this while addressing a press conference. Senator Shibli Faraz and MNA Murad Saeed were also present on the occasion.