Imran threatens to take to streets if govt ignores SC orders

PTI chief addresses Eid celebratory event at Zaman Park via video link

LAHORE:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief and former prime minister Imran Khan has said that if the government disobeys the Supreme Court's orders concerning Punjab elections, he will "bring the nation out on the streets".

The PTI had organised an event for its workers to celebrate Eid at Zaman Park late on Sunday evening.

Addressing the event via video link, the PTI chief expressed fear that the PDM-led government would defy court orders.

"If this happens," he said, "then I will bring the nation out onto the streets".

“Our struggle is regarding establishing rule of law in our country”-@ImranKhanPTI #EidWithImranKhan pic.twitter.com/QZavK9JCa3

— PTI (@PTIofficial) April 22, 2023

"I can give a call [to the workers] to prepare the nation [for protests] at any time," Imran added.

The former premier said that his party stood for rule of law and justice, stressing that his struggle for "true freedom" was in fact his fight to make "everyone obey the law".

"Society becomes free only through justice and the provision of rights," he said.

He also criticised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for "begging" other nations for lending financial support to the country, maintaining that "these people are slaves to money".

Imran said that "if the major thieves are not caught, then the nation faces its downfall" as he regretted that he was not able to punish the PDM leadership.

Read PM Shehbaz speaks to JI chief amid ongoing political crisis

Nonetheless, he blamed former army chief General (retired) Qamar Javed Bajwa for this failure.

"I could not catch them because General (retired) Bajwa had all the power, and he had no qualms with corruption," he said.

The PTI chief said that in order to manoeuvre the country out of difficulty, "the justice system will have to be amended".

He regretted the PTI's workers "being picked up by security forces" which he maintained was "the worst example of injustice".

It may be noted that earlier, the PTI chief had met with the party's regional presidents of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where senior leaders including Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Shibli Faraz and Dr Yasmeen Rashid were also in attendance.

According to sources, the meeting discussed the party's plans regarding its electoral campaign in Punjab.

Imran directed his party to prepare for elections on the court-mandated date of May 14.

Imran's remarks come after the PML-N had moved to initiate contacts with its arch-rival -- the PTI -- after the Supreme Court afforded a temporary respite to the country’s main political parties, giving them a week to develop a consensus on the date for elections in the country.

The apex court had granted time to the parties until after Eid after the Ministry of Defence had urged the apex court to review its decision on Punjab polls and sought elections for provincial assemblies and the National Assembly on the same day in October — the month when the lower house of parliament will complete its five-year term.