Imran throws down gauntlet at PML-N, PPP

PTI chief says that while his ‘war’ on Nawaz Sharif will continue, he will go after Zardari as well

HYDERABAD: As he urged people to support Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in its efforts to oust Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan also threw down the gauntlet at Pakistan Peoples Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari in his political bastion of Sindh.

"My war on Sharif is continuing. Now Zardari, I am coming after you in Sindh. I will no longer let the people be fooled by reconciliation between the PPP and PML-N,” he said at his first public meeting after the Supreme Court's judgment in Panamagate case in Dadu district on Saturday.

"I have started this war from Dadu. On Friday [April 28] I will gather a sea of people in Islamabad. In this war, the powerful people will be on one side and the weak and poor people on the other side," he said. The PTI chief told the crowd that he will personally visit all parts of Pakistan to mobilise people to lend their support to the movement demanding the PM's resignation.

“Come [to PTI’s April 28 rally] not for me but to save your country, to defeat this corrupt cabal and for truth. I will disclose my strategy for building up pressure for the resignation at the Islamabad's public meeting,” he said.

Imran reiterated that all the five judges of the apex court unanimously rejected the evidences as well as the Qatar prince’s letter produced to justify the money trail for the Sharifs’ alleged offshore assets. He alleged that the people who are beneficiaries of the PML-N's ‘corrupt government’ distributed sweets to celebrate the SC's judgment.



In a rejoinder to Zardari's comments that he lacked political wisdom, the PTI chief shot back blaming Zardari for turning the PPP into a regional party. "You have achieved what no military dictator could do. You turned Pakistan's biggest political party into a small party," he said.

He went on to blame Zardari for destroying the PPP which was laboriously created and popularised by former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. "You said Imran Khan does not possess political acumen. I pray to Allah that He may never give me a political sense like yours," Imran said while addressing Zardari.

The PTI chief called Prime Minister Nawaz “a very clever politician who portrays a public image of an innocent person.” Comparing him to Zardari, Imran credited the latter for “at least not being a hypocrite.”

"You [Zardari] never concealed your property abroad. You never said you are a ‘sharif’ [noble] person." Still, the PTI chief accused Zardari ‘unparalleled’ corruption and employing police and ruffians to suppress the ordinary people and to forcefully acquire sugar mills.

Imran assured the people that his party will provide leadership to the province and will address the issues like poverty, unemployment, crime, lack of health, education and drinking water.

The PTI chief also reassured that if he comes to the power he will not allow construction of controversial Kalabagh dam without Sindh's consent and will also not comprise on Sindh's rights on River Indus.