Awami League rally: ‘Khagga is our candidate’

Sheikh Rasheed recalls past predictions, announces future plans at Khanewal.

MULTAN:

The Awami League and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) have agreed on a seat adjustment formula and will field joint candidates in the next general elections, said Sheikh Rasheed, the Awami League president.

He was addressing a rally of more than 10,000 people in Khanewal.

Rasheed also announced that Waheed Akhtar Shah Khagga will be their joint candidate from a Khanewal constituency.

Rasheed referred to his relations with the PTI as one “like brothers”. “We will adjust seats with the PTI a across Pakistan. My experience of politics and my services will remain available to the PTI,” he said. “The PTI is leading Pakistan in the right direction,” said Rasheed.

Addressing the ceremony, he said that it was time for the people to take ownership of their country. “Today Pakistan has become the fiefdom of 25 children of six elite families,” he said.

“It is high time to detain their children and to demand payment of Rs2,000 billion which the families owe to the nation’s banks. This won’t be wrong,” said the Awami League president.

Rasheed also talked about his tenure as railways minister. He said that he had introduced 24 news trains during his time “but this government has shut down 124 trains.” “Out of the 900 operational engines that I left, only 90 are working.”

Rahseed then criticised the federal government for “destroying institutions like the Pakistan International Airlines.” “Of the 29 planes the PIA owns today, 19 are not operational. What is worse is that the passengers fear for their lives while travelling on PIA,” he said.

Rasheed lambasted the government for not yielding to the “will of the people but deferring to the will of the United States”. “The US government continues to support the corrupt government,” said Rasheed, “because they know it is the only one that will do whatever it says.”

He said he had predicted four years ago about Yousuf Raza Gilani’s downfall as well as revealed his sons’ involvement in corruption cases “but no one paid any attention”. “They have bankrupted Pakistan,” he said.

The rally was also addressed by Waheed Shah Khagga and Mansoor Shah Khagga who thanked Sheikh Rasheed and the PTI for their support.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 6^th, 2012.