Blocking coalition cargo: End American interference, demand PTI leaders

Imran Khan says, if electe­d, his party would curb terror­ism within 90 days.

KARACHI:

Activists of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) staged a sit-in on the Native Jetty bridge on Saturday in an effort to block the way of cargo to United States-led coalition forces in Afghanistan. The sit-in will contnue on Sunday (today).

The protest, which the PTI said, was against US drone attacks and “American interference in Pakistan”.

The PTI was supported in this regard by the Sunni Tehreek and some JUI-S activists.

PTI leaders, who addressed the gathering, said that Pakistan’s foreign policy was not at all reflective of the nation’s sentiments”.

Speaking to a crowd of thousands of youths from all walks of life, PTI chief Imran Khan said that if PTI was elected to government, it would curb terrorism within 90 days.

Accusing the government of inaction and lethargy, Imran Khan said that within 24 hours after the adoption of a resolution by the National Assembly, the US drones violated it by mounting a missile attack in the tribal areas.

Referring to targeted killings in Karachi, he said that it could be overcome if the PTI was in government “if police are depoliticised”.

Talking about WikiLeaks revelations, the PTI chief said that neither the people in government nor those in Raiwind believed in truth.

Referring to allegations of taking money for launching a campaign from the military, he said that if corruption allegations proved to be true, he would quit politics forever.

On terrorism, Imran Khan said that drone attacks and military operations were the reason why there were factories of terrorism in Pakistan, adding that mainstream political leaders had deceived the nation. “This is not our war, our leaders have deceived us.”

The PTI chairman was joined on stage by all provincial heads of his party PTI’s Balochistan chapter Qasim Khan Suri, secretary-general for PTI in K-P Shah Farman, President for the party Sindh faction Nadeemul Haq and Aafia Siddiqui’s sister Dr Fauzia Siddiqui and including former ambassador Zafar Hilaly, former SHC judge Wajihuddin and rock star Ali Azmat.

After energising the crowd with his popular songs such as ‘Jazba Junoon’, he said: “The worst thing that is happening in this country right now is the psychological warfare. Foreigners are trying to break us up by making us believe it is the people from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa who are…committing suicide attacks.”

PML-Q MNA Marvi Memon also addressed the PTI rally, saying she rejected her party’s “unholy alliance with the government”. In a show of support for the PTI initiative, she said the “days of the looters in Islamabad are numbered now”.

The event was a bit disorganised in terms of security, and as soon as people realised this they started leaving the venue.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2011.