PTI to hold grand power show at Minar-e-Pakistan on April 24

Pakistan is a sovereign state and adopting an ‘independent foreign policy’ is our prerogative, says Shafqat Mahmood

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday announced that it will hold a ‘mammoth public gathering’ at Minar-e-Pakistan on April 24 against the alleged foreign conspiracy behind the regime change in the country.

Addressing a presser today, PTI's Punjab chapter president Shafqat Mahmood said rallies had been planned on Wednesday, April 13 in Peshawar, on Saturday, April 16 in Karachi and Sunday, April 24 at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore.

"Pakistan is an independent and sovereign state and it was our duty to adopt an independent foreign policy."

He added that arch-rivals and "thieves" had teamed up for the fall of an elected government.

He observed that without any administrative effort, a large number of citizens came out of their houses in almost all parts of the country to reject the "imported government".

Also read: PTI hits the streets against ‘imported govt’

Mahmood on the occasion announced that the party had decided mass public contact campaigns and added a series of public gatherings had been planned across Pakistan in this regard.

According to the PTI stalwart, the opposition will soon recognise the power of the party.

He lamented that Shehbaz Sharif took oath as the prime minister on the day when he was to be indicted in a Rs16 billion money laundering case.

In a democracy, he opined, fresh elections should be held if such an ‘ugly’ situation arises, and went on to add that the former ruling party would accept the results and sit on the opposition benches if free and fair elections were held in the country.

Mahmood noted that the armed forces were the guarantors of national integrity but some forces were trying to create a gulf between them and the PTI.

Also read: Neither army nor foreign country, only people can safeguard democracy: Imran

The former education minister also highlighted that highest-ever exports were recorded during the current year under the PTI's rule.

On the ‘lettergate’ scandal, he said that there was no hope that the present government would conduct a fair investigation into the diplomatic cypher.

PTI Information Secretary Musarat Jamshed Cheema, Sheikh Imtiaz, Sadia Sohail and others were also present on the occasion.

The former ruling party has been holding protests against PTI chairman Imran Khan's ouster from power following a no-trust vote against him in the parliament. According to Khan, the no-trust vote was part of a foreign conspiracy to punish him for adopting an independent foreign policy.