PTI to eradicate poverty through Chinese model: Imran

says the existing system only supports the rich,

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has said that the existing system only supports the rich, and his party will eradicate poverty from Pakistan on coming to power by following the Chinese model.

“It is unfortunate that policies in Pakistan are always made in favour of the rich and influential. Once in power, the PTI will introduce policies that will be in favour of the poor and will uplift them. We will introduce economic justice and social justice in Naya Pakistan,” said Khan on Thursday to a cheering crowd.



He was speaking at the PTI’s National Membership Convention held at Aiwan-e-Iqbal in Punjab’s provincial capital. The PTI’s top leadership including Jahangir Tareen, Aleem Khan, Ijaz Chaudhry and others were also present on the occasion.

Khan said China elevated over 700 million people from poverty in last 30 years. “We will also follow the Chinese example,” he said, adding that the poor Pakistanis travelled to West in search of livelihood as the land promised them a shining future.

“It is unfortunate that the rich in Pakistan is getting richer and the poor poorer. The rich does not pay tax, rather the government collects taxes from the poor and spends it for the benefit of the rich. This situation will be reversed in Naya Pakistan,” he promised.

Quoting example of his Namal University, he said 90% of its students studied on scholarship while 75% of them hailed from Urdu-medium background. “The students will, however, get a degree from the UK’s top Bradford University,” he said.

According to the PTI chief, only 10-12% of the students at the Bradford University get first division in examinations as compared to 53% students of Namal University who complete their degrees with first division “which means that all 53% of them will receive job for sure”.

He said Namal is an example of uplifting the poor. “We will establish universities like Namal in Naya Pakistan where unemployed youth will be the responsibility of the government. The government will help them establish their businesses,” he vowed.

Talking with reference to his party’s membership card, Khan claimed that it was for the first time a political party had prepared a membership card that had all the details of a member stored in it. He said through the card he could communicate with party members throughout Pakistan. He said he could ask questions that a member would be able to answer through the card.



“For example, if five candidates have applied for a party ticket from a constituency, the party can contact members through membership cards to seek their opinion. This card will also prove beneficial during party elections after the general election. Election at every level of party leadership will be done through this card,” he added.

Khan said the PTI was launching the membership card campaign in Lahore from today (Friday). He asked the workers and leadership to actively participate in the campaign and mobilise the public by setting up camps in Lahore “which influences the whole Punjab”.

“The campaign will be replicated in other districts gradually,” he added.