Imran announces anti-govt rallies in major cities on July 2

Lashes out at ‘imported govt’ for its bid to turn Pakistan into a ‘banana republic’

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan announced on Saturday that his party would organise a power show in Islamabad’s Parade Ground and begin nationwide protests against rising inflation and amendments in the NAB law from July 2.

The former premier lashed out at the “imported government” for its bid to turn Pakistan into a “banana republic”, saying the amendments in the anti-graft body’s laws would drive the country towards destruction as Rs1,100 billion of public money looted by the corrupt mafia has been pardoned through the amendments.

Addressing people through a live broadcast on Saturday, the PTI chairman said that the current rulers wanted to silence people by spreading fear among them but urged the masses to “break the idol of fear” and come out against the imported government for the sake of the future of their children, as “thieves” were hell-bent on destroying everything.

https://www.facebook.com/ImranKhanOfficial/videos/772221663944055/

The former premier announced to hold anti-government public gatherings in all the major cities with him addressing the main event at Islamabad’s Parade Ground on July 2. He said he had issued directives to all party workers to hold the rallies on Saturday night.

The PTI chief said that he would address the gathering at Parade Ground in the federal capital where residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad would gather, urging PTI supporters to participate in the rallies in their respective cities for the “future of their generations”.

The ex-PM said that the “cabal of crooks” was ill-prepared to improve the national economy, as they did not have any plan to control inflation because they only focused on getting NRO-2 just like they had been awarded NRO-1 by the former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.

The former PM warned that making accountability law “weak and ineffectual” was a breach of the Constitution and underscored that the people of the country had the right to hold their elected representatives accountable for their fiduciary actions.

Imran said the PTI had challenged the amendments in the Supreme Court and expressed optimism that the judiciary would not let the “cruelty” happen to Pakistan. He said the government officials annihilated the justice system of the country to protect their loot, adding that nobody could now question the assets of the corrupt people parked abroad.

He said that after the new amendments, the details of the assets in the name of other family members could not be questioned and that the law would become effective from 1999 which would exonerate many people part of the coalition government.

“The country would become a “banana republic” as Rs1,100 billion of public looted money by the corrupt mafia has been pardoned through changes in NAB laws,” Imran said.

Read PTI challenges NAB amendments in SC

The corrupt rulers have overturned the anti-graft law adopted globally in which people will need to inform the authorities regarding the transactions to their accounts, he added, saying the new NAB law would increase white-collar crimes.

“The petroleum levy is going to be imposed besides increasing the oil prices, as rate of per litre petrol would be increased by up to Rs50 in the name of petroleum levy, which would further burden the common man.”

The PTI chairman warned that imposition of super tax would trigger storm of inflation, as financial burden on the industries would increase manufacturing costs, resultantly organisations would start sacking their employees and several firms would shut down.

“Farmers will bear brunt of expensive diesel and load-shedding, as the salaried segment of the society is already crushed by the inflation and now, the agriculture sector is also being destroyed,” he said.

Imran said the budget announced by the government was an “economic murder” of the common man, adding that steps like super tax would burden the industries.

He said the PTI government would have set the tax collection target of over Rs8,000 billion and achieved it as its focus was on increasing the tax net rather imposing taxes on those who were already paying taxes.

He said the PTI government was ready to introduce new reforms pertaining to broadening the tax base instead of increasing the tax rate in April, the month he was ousted from power.

He said the corporate tax in India and Bangladesh was only 25%, adding that its hiked rate would slow down industrial growth in Pakistan.

In the live broadcast, Imran said that Pakistan achieved highest exports during the PTI government, as the textile industries in Faisalabad had been facing a shortage of employees after a massive rise in demand and export orders.

However, he added that the factories of Faisalabad were now closing and unemployment was increasing due to flawed policies of corrupt government.

The former premier said the statistics of the economic survey report stated the achievements of PTI government, whereas, more jobs were given as compared to both the past governments of the PML-N and PPP.

The PTI government took the GDP to 6% despite challenges like the Covid-19 pandemic, he said while inviting people to compare the performance of the incumbent and PTI regimes.

Meanwhile, ahead of the by-elections in Lahore, the PTI chairman will address public gatherings in different areas of the metropolis on Sunday (today).