HYDERABAD:
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan has said that the next general elections would be held in winter, claiming his party will sweep the polls. “I can’t give a date though, but the winter is going to be the time for elections,” he asserted while talking to the media at the residence of Dr Zulfiqar Laghari in Mirpurkhas on Saturday.
The incumbent government’s term in office will end in March, 2013, after which the polls will be announced. However, Khan’s prediction forecasts an early ouster of the government. The PTI chief also claimed that after winning the polls he will wipe out corruption within 90 days.
Reiterating his criticism over the election of Raja Pervaiz Ashraf as the new prime minister, he said President Asif Zardari wanted a “servant” for himself and not a PM for the people. He alleged that President Zardari and the allied political parties are amassing wealth from corruption to “buy” the elections. “Free and fair elections are not possible under Zardari,” Khan said.
The PTI chief began his visit of southern Sindh, accompanied by the party’s provincial president Nadir Akmal Laghari, on the heels of his debut public meeting in Hyderabad.
He earlier visited Tando Muhammad Khan, where he addressed a small crowd in the village of Abdul Hadi Nizamani.
He visited the village on the invitation of the PTI’s district president Iqbal Nizamani, who hosted him at the residence of the Pakistan Peoples Party’s Sindh Council member Abdul Hadi Nizamani, his uncle. Pakistan Muslim League (Functional) leaders Tariq Nizamani and Altaf Nizamani also reportedly attended the gathering.
While talking to the media, the PTI chief said he will not let Sindh, still unconquered territory for his party, remain an exclusive turf for the ruling PPP.
“The people of Sindh are poor but the elected representatives are rich. Therefore, the PTI has come here (to the province) with a new thought ... to strengthen ties with the people.”
Without specifically mentioning which interests of the province the PTI intends to uphold, Imran said he will protect the rights of Sindh’s people.
Although he has come clear over the issue of Sindh’s division and for uprooting feudalism, the water sharing, missing persons, illegal immigration, province’s control over its natural resources and acceptance of Sindhi as a national language are yet to draw his attention.
Published In The Express Tribune, June 24th, 2012.
COMMENTS (53)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@Ordinary Villager: party elections cancelled? perhaps you havnt noticed that all positions in PTI are now vacated in preparation of those elections. Imran Khan is no longer chairman.
@Voice of Gilgit: Sorry! How could I possibly forget the most beautiful part of Pakistan. Everyone does envy us for the nature... INSHAHALLAH We shall be one Nation with many local languages.
@roadkashehzada: IK can leap further than leap years !!!!!!!
@Raj - USA: claims of eliminating corruption in 90 days is an illusion just like theres no feb 30 2013,
It's sad that some people above are actually buying into propaganda that PTI has postponed elections. In a few days' time, the election modalities will be announced and they will end till September 15 maximum. PTI has been having an internal debate on the way to hold the elections since this decision was taken and as Pakistanis who want to see democracy in our political parties, we should support them.
Elections on Nov. 30, 2012. Load shedding and corruption eliminated in 90 days, i.e., on Feb, 30, 2013 !!!!!!!!
@Ordinary Villager: bigger disappointment, the elections were cancelled on advice of people including sikandar bosan and kasoori
@Ali: Ali why not to vote for someone who started the motorway police, as u said its here and a great example. why experiment?
@Sameer Malik: oh yes...if Punjab is only confined to Lahore then PML-N is great...but if Punjab means whole province then PML-N failed for the last 4.5 years...its only now they are turning their interest now that elections are near and hence set aside some amount in budget 2012-12......Just check the budgetry allocations in last 4 years by PML-N and you will knwo what I mean.....
I hope IMran can manage to uproot corruption in 90 days, though it looks at best a very ambitious claim, just like Raja Saheb gave deadlines for load shedding end..... remember corruption is entwined in the system of this country...from birth certificate to driving license to job selection to land acquisition to sports to politics to development works to medicines to .....what not...my hands will tire but corruption avenues in this country will keep on springing in mind.....!!!! hope for the best and give PTI a chance...though I doubt that system can be cleansed in 90 days....well 90 months can be possible but 90 days...too early...remember honesty is something which takes time to get used to.....!!!!
I hope he CHANGES the Police dept into something like Motorway police, we dont have to refer NYPD or LAPD. Motorway Police is here and is a great example.
@ Sameer Malik Ohh really. I am sorry, I did not find this well-governed state of Pakistan where Sharifs are doing great things. Or you just might be referring to rewind state instead of punjab. Yes, I know they have their own police system, they build their own roads, they have their own power generation plants, they have their own hygienic foods there, they have their own cars, bullet proof one,(ohh sorry, according to Hamza Sharif, they returned one back to the Raiz) Please ask them to allow the poor people even use the road they build with people money. Thanks, If you do so, I will support your leader.
yay! Very smart thinking on part of IK calling for 'winter' elections...his young supporters wont have to suffer the 'hot' sun while they are participating in the 'revolution'. Elections also means more PTI jalsas and even more plastic chair for awam to take home to. yay!!
imran khan is talking about change and he postponed party election on advice of people including Sikandar Bosan. he talks about farmers but has legharis in his party, talks about equal education system but has owner of beaconhouse schools kasuri in his party, party elections have be postponed and will be held after general elections. this means general election candidates wont have support of party members. where exactly is change in this party?
@Waqas: The PTI supporters like you are blind. You are saying PPPP is the better choice than PMLN?. Come in Punjab abd see their governance and then compare it to PPP, ANP and MQM led regions and evrything will be clear who is better. A
@Ch Allah Daad hahha, spoiling PLMN chances, I think PPP is better than sharifs..... You have not seen enough of their media shows like laptops, roti, taxi, one man shows,... not tired yet...
Great Imran khan, At least he has vision for the country unlike sharifs who don't even know what they have to do except media stunts...
Time for new faces, let us try him out as well. The musical chair game between PPP and PMLN for Islamabad should be put to an end and others can have their say as well. Its easy to ridicule any party but unless we don't try PTI management, we really cannot criticize them with proofs. PPP and PMLN are proven failures. Its not rocket science to figure out for the common Pakistani now.
PML(N) leaders are narrow-minded, they will assault other political leaders, if they come in power. They will suffocate the political environment.
@ NIGHAT wn't it will be better if include the Gilgiti and Kashmeries in the above ENTIRE NATION list? any way we have no regrets but still want our great country Pakistan will move forward under the supervision of a unique leader and come out of the current raja mharaja and patvari system.
@munnabhai: Well if people had your negative attitude, it would be difficult for anying positive to occur. Don't just sit back and wait for the CHANGE work hard to bring it about and work hard for your country.
@Yaqub: As you say... it is upto US that is each and everyone of us to bring CHANGE Inshahallah!
@adeel ahmed: It would be wonderful to have national leader. Someone who is accepted by the entire Nation of Sindhi, Muhajir, Punjabi, Pathan, Baluchi evryone in Pakistan who can love this man
@Mirza: As you've pointed out it is an enormous task which no one man can make and it is up to US as a nation to CHANGE the Pakistani Fabric and unless each and every one of us does his and her share it would be an impossible task.
Wouldn't you want a country we Pakistani enjoy living in and can be proud of and not have to flee abroad for sanity when we are overwhelmed with corruption in our homeland?
What about another promise broken about party ejections????
And what is your policy on the division of Punjab??? We have Shah Mahmood calling for breakup of Punjab while vowing that PTI will not allow Sindh to be broken!?!?!?!
Why should any self-respecting Punjabi vote for your party??
@Imran Con: So far Pakistan has shown great patience... for the last 64 years of corruption people have watched it get from bad to worse; as now in Riaz Malik case. So why the rush if it isn't 90 days, yet it feels good to know that anyone is trying to fight a deep rooted Pakistani tradition alltogether!l
Yeah End of Corruption in 90 Days, I know he has one Simple Solution. Nuke the Whole Country within one week of Power and corruption will be over in less than 90 days.
IK is attempting to redefine the meaning of revolution with those promises which are very unlikely to occur
Interestingly enough his rhetoric sounds exactly like Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's 40 years ago...
Ys. Elections should be held as soon as possible.... And wish goodluck to Imran and PTI...
We believe in every single word of Imran Khan. We will bring the change INSHALLAH.
PM for 90 days only.?
He is the man, another muhammad ali jinnah in the making.
PTI should completely focus on sweeping the next general election. They should abstain from getting into any planted game plans. Its the only way through which the country would get rid of these corrupt people who have nothing to do with democracy and politics.
Elections in winter will suit PTI. It will ensure that its supporters, 'Garmi mein Kharab na Ho Jayen'.
He is true national leader. Sindhi, Muhajir, Punjabi, Pathan, Baluchi evryone in Sindh love this man
He is right, under his captaincy Pakistan won the world cup within 90 days.
Cant wait to witness end of corruption in 90 days:)
When I go out I get adulterated milk, fake medicines, adulterated food, and have to pay bribes at every step even for everyday tasks. How one man sitting at the top without a magic wand can stop all this and more? These things are a part of the Pakistani fabric and only a miracle can change it unless all of us change. What is the plan sir are you going to lease the country to angles?
when imran khan talks about wiping corruption in 90 days.. he talks about wiping top level corruption which is affecting pakistan the most.
And what is your plan for Electricity shortage ? will you also burn imported OIL to produce electricity ?
This is the voice of all those who are thinking that The future of Pakistan is more higher then the level of Raja ji, gallani and zardari... wish you all the best PTI.
"The PTI chief also claimed that after winning the polls he will wipe out corruption within 90 days." Ok everyone who has tried to explain that line away with technicalities he has supposedly spoken but few have heard. There it is fresh. All corruption within 90 days. All of it.
I feel PTI will get a lot of votes.It will be like PPP sweeping elections in 1970. People are sick of bad governance,corruption and family politics
If you can sweep polls in winter, you can sweep in summer too. Show us your popularity in Multan By Election.
Imran Khan is our next PM - inshaAllah! :-)
He cannot make any dent in PPP's strongholds but with its help, he will spoil PML(N)'s chances.
Great leader.Please give him chance
Mr Imran Khan I am disappointed the day you cancelled the Party elections only because you know Ordinary PTI members will struck out the traditional Politicians out of PTI and this Political Mafia have now hijacked the PTI and now PTI is their slave and now they want general elections but they dont want Party elections. Could anybody tell me that without Elections within the Party how come someone can select Party Candidates?. So rather than asking for elections first declare Potential candidates within the party so we could see which people are getting the Party tickets for elections.
Yeah he know that it is the only time when PTI supporters could come out of their cozy places to vote.