Retired army brigadier helped PML-N win 2013 elections, claims Imran

PTI chief says gone are the days when establishment was part of political planning

KHANEWAL: [fbvideo link="https://www.facebook.com/etribune/videos/2076823582334657/"][/fbvideo]

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has said that if Nawaz Sharif thinks he can regain control of the country by “buying” the judiciary and the establishment “he’s living in a fool’s paradise”.

“Gone are the days when the establishment and judiciary were part of political planning as now only merit is their top priority,” the PTI chief said while addressing a public gathering with more than 35,000 in attendance at Khanewal Stadium on Saturday.

“Going for merit will also maintain the integrity of both the institutions,” he added.

Sharif, who is today going against the establishment and judiciary, had forgotten that it was the military that brought him to power, he said.

“The Inter-Services Intelligence had financed Sharif to win the 1990 elections and then again in 1997,” alleged, adding that the establishment had now decided to remain out of politics for strengthening democracy in Pakistan.

He also blamed a retired brigadier, without mentioning his name, for helping the PML-N win the 2013 general elections.

About the judiciary, Khan said, “Sharif thought that every judge was for sale as in the past he had threatened or bought them to do his bidding, but this time the judiciary has upheld supremacy of law.”

“The judges have given the decision in the Panamagate case on merit,” he said.

“Sharif said that he will not accept any minus-Sharif formula, but the people have already accepted the formula,” he added.

Criticising Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, he said, “I feel sorry for him as he is serving a thief [Sharif] which is damaging the dignity of our nation.”

He said Rs94 billion had been doled out to PML-N parliamentarians by PM Abbasi to buy votes, but his effort would not bear fruit as the people “now stand united against corruption and corrupt dynasties”.



Confident that the PTI would come to power after the 2018 general elections, he said, “I will ensure that minorities enjoy equal rights and status in Pakistan according to the ideology of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.”

India would give an example of Pakistan and minorities all around the world would prefer “our country to live in”, he added.

Talking about pollution, he said the whole country, apart from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, was filled with pollution. “There is no pollution in K-P because we have planted more than one billion trees over there.”

Taking over the podium, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said, “PML-N has been guarding only billionaires and their vested interests, which is why small farmers are dying in South Punjab.”

“China has helped small farmers strengthen its economy,” he said. “They have transformed their economy of $300 billion 30 years ago into a $10,000 billion economy today.”

PTI General Secretary Jehangir Khan Tareen also spoke on the occasion.

Renowned folk singer Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi entertained an already charge-up crowd with his mesmerising performance.