Imran rules out helping Bilawal form govt

Former premier asks PPP chief to ‘ask those for help with whom you remained in govt for 16 months’

RAWALPINDI:

PTI founder Imran Khan on Thursday categorically rejected helping PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari form a government at the Centre post-Feb 8 elections.

The former premier’s remarks come a day after Bilawal, vying for the post of prime minister, in an interview with Reuters, said he “preferred forming a government with independent candidates”.

Apparently, Bilawal’s strategy stems from PTI’s current circumstances that rendered its candidates incapable of contesting elections under the party’s name or using its electoral symbol.

The apex court, on Jan 13, set aside the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) Jan 10 order, effectively depriving the PTI of its iconic election symbol of a cricket bat in a major blow to the former ruling party ahead of the Feb 8 general elections. This leaves the party with the option of having its candidates contest upcoming elections as independents.

Informally addressing the media following the cipher case hearing at the Adiala Jail, where the ex-PM is currently incarcerated, Imran asked Bilawal to “ask those for help with whom you remained in government for 16 months”.

Referring to the PPP and the PML-N who along with 13 other parties formed the last Pakistan Democratic Movement coalition government, the former premier said these parties were against each other today, “but they are all on the same page from the inside”.

“The establishment has all the control. Talks should be held with those who have the power,” Imran said, adding that he had been stressing for a long time now that elections should be held fairly and transparently.

“People should be able to bring in whoever they want. Political engineering has caused the country a lot of damage,” the ex-premier said as he complained about his party’s supporters and candidates being arrested. “How are surveys being conducted when the PTI is not present in the field?” Imran questioned.

The premier boasted of his party’s support among the masses, stating that it had become difficult for “them to control the PTI”.

“The establishment and the Election Commission helped them in winning by-elections too,” he said, adding that all the parties had united, and were yet unable to defeat the PTI.

Lamenting the “treatment” being meted out to the party, Imran said that “our corner meetings are raided” by the police, urging all party members “in hiding” to step out and support the party’s electoral campaign, kickstarting this Sunday.

On the May 9 riot cases registered against him and party supporters, the PTI founding chairman said, “We did not break any law.”

Imran said that there were no protests even when he got shot, referring to the Nov 2022 assassination attempt on him during the Wazirabad jalsa.

Cipher trial

On the cipher trial, the former premier said it was not an open trial as the media and his well-wishers were not allowed to participate.

During the hearing, the prosecutor informed the judge that their witnesses had yet to appear and be cross-examined in the case.

Earlier, speaking to the presiding judge during the hearing of the £190 million case, Imran said the “drama” was being staged for Feb 8, and maintained that if this was how things would be done, then they should be done after the poll date.

Imran said that all cases should be kept up to date, adding that the Toshakhana case involving former president Zardari and three-time premier Nawaz was fixed for Feb 13, while hearings of his Toshakhana case were being conducted daily.

"An eight-year-old case was fixed for Feb 13 while a four-year-old case is being heard every day," he said.