PTI chairman Imran Khan. PHOTO: AFP
Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has congratulated Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for what he called a good start to control terrorism in the country. He said if the law is made equal for all in Karachi, peace could be maintained.
Speaking in his first interview after the All Parties Conference (APC) to Express News host Javed Chaudhry for his talk show Kal Tak, Imran said that he was both happy and sad, over the decisions of the APC; happy because all that he has been saying since long about the problem was accepted and sad that uncountable losses have been inflicted to Pakistan since.
Commenting on the recent strike called in Karachi by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) he said that the party is standing at a juncture where it will have to make important decisions. He said that the politics of gun have failed in the megacity and damaged it badly as businesses, investment and people are leaving the city for safety and as a result the unemployment is increasing.
Imran said that it was MQM that set up its armed wing for extortion before anyone else and later some other parties followed suit and also started their ‘bhatta’ groups. He said that MQM closed down the whole city just for one person. He advised MQM to stop blackmailing and bring to a halt its politics of pressure.
He said that Musharraf, in the same conference room after 9/11, had expressed so much fear that the United States, who in his words was like an injured bear, will destroy Pakistan as well if it did not cooperate. “It was so sad to see that the commander-in-chief of the country was making his own people suffer for crimes they had nothing to do with,” he lamented.
He said that the government started a series of lies like its claims that they were attacking al Qaeda militants in tribal areas but instead they attacked innocent women and children and later gave free hand to FBI which is why people like Raymond Davis arrived here.
Historically, these tribal people had been our defenders, without ever creating issues for the nation, a fact even accepted by Quaid-e-Azam and the most irrational action was to send forces to Swat, according to the PTI chief.
He said he feels sad when he sees the great potential of this country not being unlocked. He said that if only hydro-projects in K-P had been built, the province alone could be able to fulfill the electricity needs of the entire country.
He said that extension in Gen Kayani’s service will cause damage which is why he should not be allowed any extension. He also called for cases against Asif Ali Zardari to be reopened.
He said that a ceasefire should be agreed upon to hold dialogue with Taliban. He also claimed that the Lal Masjid operation and Damadola attack triggered increase in the terrorist activities.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 13th, 2013.
COMMENTS (17)
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1732549780-0/Speaker-Na-photo-22_04_2014-(1)1732549780-0-270x192.webp "negotiations underway between government pti over sit in venue")
@farasat: You somehow neglected to tell all of us just how wonderful life was in Swat under the Taliban! Please comment with that insight since you were there, weren't you?
Imran Khan, obviously, has no clue o Karachi's real issues but what is further shocking is rhat evn the lone PTI MNA who 'contrived' a win in Karachi has bern able to articulate his party's position on key structural issues of Karachi i.e. an absence of metropolitan government, police manned by non locals, lack of a metrpolitan transport authority etc. PTI has based its Karachi positions only on an anti-mqm basis which is a politically hollow position. No wonder PTI graph has fallen steeply in Khi in the period since elections.
None of you here are from swat so stop talking about it i am from swat and what he,s saying is right because military operations are never the best choice,just imagined how much pain it caused to people of swat???
"Good start" - Ofcourse, this guy will remain happy as long as his TTP friends are not targeted. And more happy if Urdu-speakers are hit - I hope the deluded PTI voters in Karachi will realize this soon. The majority in Karachi already does understand Imran Khan which is why they rejected PTI in the last polls and by-polls.
tribune let me speak and post my comment .. please
Commenting on the recent strike called in Karachi by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)
ET please put your records straight no strike was called by MQM officially
@ali ahmed: we all know how the so called representatives of 85% Karachi are treating the people of Karachi too... better call spade a spade today for better tomorrow, instead of denying every wrongdoing.
Keep Going Imran Khan, inshallah something good will come of it. I am soo proud that Shukar Allahamdulillah in you we have one of the best leaders in the world.
I agree with IK, why to allow Kayani extension, don’t we have backup command mechanism? Any positive step taken by NS should be endorsed for the betterment of country and its people!
Mr Khan is demonstrating selective amnesia. Swat operation was launched when peace accord was violated by the TTP. His statements lay the entire blame on the government and absolves the TTP of sending thousands to their graves.
The only reasonable man in Pakistani politics
"Most irrational action was to send forces to Swat"
If it weren't for the military operation in Swat, the valley would still have been under Taliban control today.
indeed, taking all stakeholders on one page is really a good move of new Nawaz led government. but, regrettably PPP led government also convened such meeting but no acceptable results were achieved. Can we not assume that there is another much stronger force available which doesn't allow us to do any thing. Remember, the Consensus Resolution passed by the in-camera Joint Sitting of Parliament on October 22, 2008 and recommendations thereon of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) in April 2009 and Resolution adapting the Guidelines framed by the PCNS passed by the Joint Sitting of Parliament on April 12, 2012. Having been briefed about the challenges confronting our nation-state, we are fully conscious of our historic responsibility as chosen representatives of the people at this critical juncture in our nation’s history to devise ways and means to promote peace and prosperity and restore Pakistan’s rightful place in the comity of nations. We are also aware of the aspirations of the people of Pakistan for the fulfillment of the promises made by the nation’s Founding Fathers for establishment of a sovereign state, secure in its boundaries and determined to promote “friendship with all and enmity towards none”. Why we are much tilted to accept that this time "action will speak louder than words."
I.K. concentrate on the problems KPP....people of karachi knows how you treated players of karachi during your tenure as captain..and how you treated Miadad...are you in senses most irrational action was to send forces to Swat, ..swat came under the rule of talibans and if the operation like 1990 the people has the right to protest...
i saw the interview and he only congraduated nawaz sharif on holding APC but at the same time he said it would be difficult to hold peace talks with taliban
Makes so much of sense, whatever he says. Just don't understand, how haters cannot accept this wave of change in Pakistani politics?