Supporting democracy: ‘PTI will never support dictatorship’
Imran Khan denounces military takeovers; says new entrants were not given key posts without consultation.
ISLAMABAD:
Reiterating its support for the cause of democracy, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced on Friday it will side with the judiciary in case another martial law is imposed.
“The PTI is a democratic party … will never support dictatorship in the country and will side with the judiciary,” PTI chief Imran Khan said while denouncing military takeovers of the past at a press briefing in Islamabad.
PTI’s newly-appointed vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Masood Sharif Khattak were also present at the occasion.
Addressing the allegations of having the backing of the establishment, Khan said all those who have been supporting the status quo were the ones who did not want change. Khan said PTI was the only party that could bring “real change” in people’s lives. “PTI’s December 25 rally will prove to be an historic day in burying the politics of status quo,” he added.
The PTI will bring prosperity, employment and investment and eliminate the politics of hate from the country, Imran said as he invited the people of Karachi to attend the upcoming rally in which a new programme for the prosperity of the country will be announced.
Commenting on the memogate issue, Imran said, “The government has lost its credibility and there is no parallel in the world for a head of state seeking the support of another country to save himself from his own army.”
Responding to a question regarding the calls for resignation of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Ahmed Shuja Pasha over Mansoor Ijaz’s allegations, Khan said the Supreme Court was dealing with the issue and hoped that a fair probe would unearth the culprits.
The government’s success can be gauged from the fact that the killers of former premier Benazir Bhutto are yet to be arrested, despite a lapse of four years, he added.
Imran dispelled the impression that new entrants of the party were being given key posts without consultation. Qureshi was appointed vice chairman of the party after due process and consultation within the PTI, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 17th, 2011.
Reiterating its support for the cause of democracy, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) announced on Friday it will side with the judiciary in case another martial law is imposed.
“The PTI is a democratic party … will never support dictatorship in the country and will side with the judiciary,” PTI chief Imran Khan said while denouncing military takeovers of the past at a press briefing in Islamabad.
PTI’s newly-appointed vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Masood Sharif Khattak were also present at the occasion.
Addressing the allegations of having the backing of the establishment, Khan said all those who have been supporting the status quo were the ones who did not want change. Khan said PTI was the only party that could bring “real change” in people’s lives. “PTI’s December 25 rally will prove to be an historic day in burying the politics of status quo,” he added.
The PTI will bring prosperity, employment and investment and eliminate the politics of hate from the country, Imran said as he invited the people of Karachi to attend the upcoming rally in which a new programme for the prosperity of the country will be announced.
Commenting on the memogate issue, Imran said, “The government has lost its credibility and there is no parallel in the world for a head of state seeking the support of another country to save himself from his own army.”
Responding to a question regarding the calls for resignation of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Ahmed Shuja Pasha over Mansoor Ijaz’s allegations, Khan said the Supreme Court was dealing with the issue and hoped that a fair probe would unearth the culprits.
The government’s success can be gauged from the fact that the killers of former premier Benazir Bhutto are yet to be arrested, despite a lapse of four years, he added.
Imran dispelled the impression that new entrants of the party were being given key posts without consultation. Qureshi was appointed vice chairman of the party after due process and consultation within the PTI, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 17th, 2011.