‘I will beat’ PML-N supremo in his own constituency: Imran

PTI chief bashes political arch rivals at huge gathering in Gujranwala

LAHORE:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan challenged Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday he would defeat the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo in “his own constituency”.

On day 5 of the PTI’s ‘Haqeeqi Azadi March’, Imran addressed a huge gathering in Gujranwala before resuming the march towards Islamabad with a revised schedule.

“Nawaz Sharif, I challenge you, when you come back, I will beat you in your own constituency”, Imran said. He warned that whenever the former prime minister returned to Pakistan, “we will give ‘a warm reception’ by taking you to Adiala Jail from the airport”.

PTI chief also attacked former president Asif Zardari, calling him “the biggest malady” of Pakistan. “He [Zardai] should get ready for his arrival in Sindh,” the PTI chief told the charged gathering.

Imran underlined that the people of Sindh needed freedom the most. “Let me get free from this long march, I will come after him to get freedom for the people of Sindh,” he maintained.

The PTI chairman reiterated that the time had come for attaining real freedom. “We will fight for the rule of law and justice in the county. The present system cannot continue anymore,” he continued.

“We will have to bring change,” Imran said. While pointing towards the crowd, he added: “Whenever you say who will save Pakistan; it will be you who will save the country and set it free.”

Citing example of the former East Pakistan, Imran said the Fall of Dhaka was the result of wrong decisions. People of East Pakistan had hatred against the leadership of West Pakistan because they did not accept their mandate.

“They brought army in front of the people just to save their position, which resulted in the fall of half of the country. “Today, an attempt is being made to repeat history.”

He said that both Nawaz and Zardari were trying to pit army against the biggest political party [PTI] of the country. “It is a conspiracy against the country,” the former prime minister added.

Imran reiterated his oft-repeated resolve that he would not run away from the country despite the registration of police cases [first information reports (FIRs)] or even the terrorism cases against him.

“I will live and die in Pakistan. So far, more than 30 FIRs, even terrorism cases, have been registered against me. The house servant of the Sharifs, [Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja] has also been tasked to lodge cases against me. They are trying to impose these thieves on the country.”

Imran said that the country had the worst rule of law and justice system where big thieves get the NRO, while poor and innocent people get humiliated in police stations and courts.

“What happened to Senator Azam Swati, Shahbaz Gill, Jamil Farooqi and Arshad Sharif cannot be allowed in any civilised society. In the developed world citizens have rights while in Pakistan, people are treated as slaves,” he said.

“Slaves do not have right. They have to ask their master for taking any decisions,” Imran continued. He said that India bought inexpensive oil from Russia, “but Pakistan could not because its rulers are slaves to the US”.

He also appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial to provide justice to the people. “Those who attacked Swati’s residence were criminals not public servants. The law does not permit whatever they did,” he said.

“They even took CCTV cameras of Swati’s house with them to remove evidence.

It is your responsibility to give justice to the senator who exercised his constitutional right of freedom of expression but faced humiliation.”

Meanwhile, PTI senior leader Fawad Chaudhry criticised the government for increased security in the federal capital and heavy deployment of the security personnel.

He claimed that the government had deployed at least 30,000 security personnel, including 9,000 Sindh police personnel, and released an additional grant of Rs410 million to deal with the PTI’s Haqeeqi Azadi March. “The government is not dealing with an enemy country, they are people of Pakistan.”

He added that Nawaz Sharif tweeted on Monday that it was the march of only 2,000-3,000 people, so “if it is true then what’s the need for converting Islamabad into a fortress and releasing so much money”.

Chaudhry said that even Nawaz Sharif did not have confidence in the government of his brother. “The government is a house of cards which will fall with a little whiff.

The PTI leader also announced a new schedule for the march. He said that after spending the night in Gujranwala, the march would resume via Pindi Bypass on November 2. In Gujrat, Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi and his son Moonis Elahi will welcome the participants of the march.

He added that the initial plan to reach Islamabad by Sunday would not be possible, said the PTI leader, adding that the march would no longer be able to travel through Sialkot.