A screengrab showing Imran Khan during the press conference.
Imran was addressing a press conference in Nowshera.
Speaking about his party’s decision to block Nato supply lines, Imran said the move is not an act of conflict but a way to protest against the US drone attack which sabotaged the peace process.
“The US killed Hakimullah Mehsud because he had targeted US citizens but are negotiating with Afghan Taliban who have killed far more Americans,” Imran stated, emphasising what he considers as the flawed logic of the US government.
He further said that a friend would never damage the peace process the way the US did.
The PTI chief also criticised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for not responding to this appropriately. “It’s time Nawaz starts spending time in Pakistan; why is he touring foreign countries?” Imran questioned, adding that no one would invest in a country where there was no law and order.
He said Nawaz should have concentrated on ending terrorism more than worrying about foreign investment, and that the prime minister should have led the dialogue process himself.
Corrupt ministers
Responding to a query about certain Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa lawmakers involved in corruption, Imran said all ministers are closely monitored and action will be taken against those involved in illegal practices.
He informed the media that the provincial accountability bill was recently passed and a working body based on the law will take care of such incidents.
Imran added that his party stands by its manifesto which calls for zero tolerance against corrupt officials.
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He can make this foolish demand as he is not in central government. Dr. Shirin Mazari can give him better advice on matters like this, if he is ready to lend an ear to her.
@Aschraful Makhlooq:
As long as we have animals, thugs, bandits and barbarians operating with impunity in FATA, drone attacks will continue and for all the right reasons. Shooting down a drone might be easy but you forgot to enlighten on what would happen next? Our economy is teetering on the brink of collapse and our armed forces are already in the midst of feeling the biggest pinch since 1990s when Symington and Pressler Amendments were invoked by US Congress and Senate. Our war machine would be stranded inside its staging areas devoid of fuel and spare parts.
As much as I am a supporter of PML-N and NS, I feel that it is a big mistake on part of the government to cajole the terrorists for negotiations. These paid fanatics and hired guns are out to eradicate our very existence as a nation and the state should declare an all out war against such an existential threat.
How about zero tolerance against murderers who justify killing innocents in the name of Islam?
how can one negotiate peace with an organisation that had recently sent its second most important leader to negotiate further attacks in Pakistan with the connivance of the Afghan intelligence services? It is the Americans whom IK denounces who arrested him on his way to Kabul. We ought to thank the USA for removing HM and hope they get all TTP leaders... It is time for the GoP to take strong decisions against terrorism, not appease them as they have no intentions of peace negotiations and never will unless flattened by a strong anti-terrorism policy.
Drones' strikes must be stopped forever and if not forcefully shoot the drones as has been experienced during the military excercises in Bahawalpur,so that Pakistan could to convey this message to US that we can hit US' drones,not only during peace talks so that peace talks if TTP is agreed could be successful and we Pakistani people could see the real and practical peace in Pakistan the Pakistani people are waiting for from a very very very long time curiously and anxiously......
@The Failed Rebel: Dear Failed Rebel, As usual you make more sense than most, but I would like to add a little. My view is that Pakistan is part of a world problem. Imran Khan is doing a good job as far as it goes, but nobody is paying any heed to what he is saying, and he gets little support. The problem is that most people think on the micro level, do not see the big picture and thus the people initiating the trouble are not even noticed. Also, the people at the core of the problem create clever phrases as part of a cover-up designed to do put-downs on people trying to solve problems. Some of the phraseology used is conspiracy theory or delusional. It is quite easy to see what is happening if only people would look. For example, The US was once a proud manufacturing nation with a high standard-of-living, but not any more. It is still OK when compared to Pakistan, but its economy is progressively spiraling downwards, and is more renowned for making hamburgers than motor cars. Unfortunately, it is part of a world economic plan instigated by a relatively small group, and they occasionally give the plan a kick-off by starting brush wars in areas such as Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan etc. Attempting to stop drones in Pakistan is a good start but it is penny-ante stuff compared to the real problems, and I do not see any attempt to solve the major problems. If the big problems could be solved the small ones would fall into place automatically.
@Adnan Siddiqi: Your ridicule is not supported by possible workable solutions. Your comments reek only of negativity for Imran Khan, and not any suggestion of what he should be doing. Without positive criticism, hate-talk/bashing is useless. If you are against Imran Khan and his stance, then instead of coming up with phrases of insults you should indicate to my people what he is doing wrong, and what can be possibly done in this situation. War? No. Read my comment above for a small insight on the war alternative.
@aaaah: ''Aaaahhhh……..and the paid trolls have been let lose. Where do you people vanish when their is a good news about PTI? I guess you don’t have the guts to comment''. Would you share with us one good news about PTI.One good ball and five no balls will not keep the player in the game for long.He is too expensive.
Imran Khan we are with you. If army need to do any operation, Karachi is the best place to wipe out the terrorist organization.
One wonders if Imran Khan has ever thought of initiating piece talks with the second half of Indian Punjab leadership who because of common languge and like cultures should be more receptive to his grand plans.
Rex Minor
@ aaaah @ the failed rebel:
The frequency with which your glorious leader IK has been experiencing his brain freeze, there is absolutely no need for anyone to be "Paid" to take PTI and IK to the cleaners.
Please continue to live in the fantasy world and stay content with worshiping a personality cult.
@ azmat khan Read the text of joint communique of Nawaz Obama meeting which makes no mention of Drone attacks
Never seen a person in this corrupt lot of politicians-so confident, firm and persistent! You are truly an example for the entire nation! And to the rest who think by insisting on peace talks Khan is supporting them then you haven't learned anything from the past and seriously God bless this country! because by fighting these illiterate extremists I see a very dark future ahead, in fact I don't see a future for this country.
And look who's talking, a nation who doesn't come out when it's people are droned, 8000 rapes in Punjab in a year and no one came out! We have lost all moral right to be called a nation! Keep on sleeping and sitting on your a* supporting the dumb/I creative leaders who fool you every 5 years!
Imran is a coward, in decisive and vision less leader. He is riding the emotional public moot rather than directing it to the right path and coverting it to his strength against the menace of terrorism. Thanks God he is not our PM.
People need wisdom to understand IK but unfortunately majority of my countrymen lacks it. Keeps it up Imran we are with you. Other so called leaders lack courage to speak the truth and to say something against the wind. They say what people like to listen not the one which is correct. Bunch of hypocrites they are!
I can imagine that if god willingly Fazalullah get whacked by a drone strike, IK and his most knucklehead and retrogressive ally in Mullah Syed Munawar Hassan would demand from the federal government to confer the Nishan-e-Haider on Fazalullah. With traitors like IK and Munawaar Hassan around, why should we complain about a paid tout like Fazalullah!?
Stop fooling people IK why doesn't he stop taking aid form USA for various projects being done in KPK?
This is the only true and honest voice which focus "Pakistan First" Love you
@ET why you allow so much abusive language used by trolls against Imran..you never allow such comments when it comes to other leaders..We protest and we demand ET to stop these abusive comments on there news paper about the leader of the second largest party of Pakistan..
@Zaida P: Basically we are used to in such situation and want to continue statusquo, sham on such people, IK zindabad he is only hope for Pakistan
He further said that a friend would never damage the peace process the way the US did. . What peace process? Pakistan has yet to name a negotiator and Sharif has publicly stated that he wouldn't negotiate with the Taliban unless they gave up their weapons. The Taliban have demanded the end of Democracy/Constitution and the implementation of Sharia and the creation of an Islamic Emirate in Pakistan. That sound like two parties getting ready to cut a peace deal? . For those interested Dawn has an outstanding article outlining obstacles to negotiations as well as recommended solutions. http://dawn.com/news/1055339/terms-of-engagement
@aaaah: You are right. I have also started to feel they might actually be on a payroll!
transfers all these TTP terrorist to save house in Punjab
The political leadership of Pakistan including Imran Khan and the Nawaz Sharif are making sure that the country remains in the 20th century and does not advance to the 21st. What has drones got to do with his intention for peace talks, the cricketer wish for the blue skies on the batting day? If Pakistan air force is not capable of bringing down the defenseless beast, how could they ward off the enemy piloted jets, is the question the people of Pakistan must deliberate on?
The USA administration should do what they must to protect their citizens and Pakistan political leadership must protect the sovereignty of their territory. For the Talibans it makes a damn of a difference as long as they keep their enemy playing the role of the Rock and Roll....
Rex Minor
The US killed Hakimullah Mehsud because he had targeted US citizens but are negotiating with Afghan Taliban who have killed far more Americans, . What Taliban Khan ignores is that the USA didn't stop fighting the Afghan Taliban while it was having negotiations -- just another "elephant in the room" that he doesn't want to see.
Thank goodness he did not become PM. He would surrendered the republic to the Taliban.
His Highness demands.....
My people, waging war has reaped no fruit yet. TTP doesn't live in maintained barracks and it certainly doesn't move in proper structures that you can pin-point and attack them. They are around, merged within civilians. How do you people expect to slay them? Carpet bombing? Ever thought of the innocent families there that would be destroyed? Their survivors will join army? Never. This move in turn will create more militants, as it evidently has since 2001. USA with all their technological advancements, their budget, their state-of-the-art equipment couldn't get these people down who live off "Daal Channa, Roti" and a local AK-47. Most of them don't even have proper shoes or uniform let alone war gear. USA isn't able to get them down due to a very simple reason, it is because an ideology cannot be fought with guns or bombs. It has to be uprooted by another ideology. Even if quarter of the spending was done on Afghanistan that has been used in the war, Afghanistan would have been established as the strongest American stronghold outside USA. With 100% support from the Afghans. Every nation is controlled differently, if you try to press the Pashtuns, they will retaliate with all their might, and they did. Now USA is so deep in deficit that its economy is collapsing. Before you say "bomb them" "drone please" also come up and mention a strategy to take them down. I hate radicalism as anyone else would, I mourn for the civilians on both sides who have died because two Muslim ideologies didn't have the brain-power to resolve. My people, what is war if not of the women and children? In the end it is only they who suffer. Warriors die, have died always, nothing new, expected of them. What is war if not an oppression on the weak?
Imran Khan is just harping the same string.NS protested against drone attacks when he met president Obama but attacks continue.What can NS do now? As for talks between Pakistan and Taliban are concerned were they actually going to happen and where? Had Taliban confirmed about their convention? Do Taliban complain that peace talks were going to occur but US disrupted the process? I feel Imran Khan saw some dream and now is talking about that and is still in state of the dream.
I have to say....the naysayers of Imran Khan are amazing people...if IK said no peace talks, he would have been regarded as a supporter of US...now he is 'Taliban' Khan...you guys are no less than the hypocrites who are ruling the rest of the country nowadays...who are taking care of their foreign investments...who admitted to making false and 'jazbaati' promises before the elections...and who have literally done nothing to solve the terrorism issue in Pakistan except by going abroad and asking for money. The US knows that our 'leaders' can be shut up by fattening their bank accounts...atleast he is not mincing words and is truthful enough to come forth with the issue. What has Nawaz Sharif done so far? -Gave Zardari a guard of honor (I think he was supposed to be dragged around the streets of Lahore before elections) -No change in electricity and inflation -Silence in the face of the terrorism issue (did he say anything to Obama on his recent visit? I don't think so) Please for the love of God, open your eyes people...stop being so biased. IK is human and he obviously makes mistakes..but don't make him the devil! There are worse people around in the parliament then someone who wants to bring a change!
It seems Imran Khan is the only leader who is taking this issue head on. Nawaz Sharif and his party on the other hand is missing from the scene completely.
The TTP has said there will be no negotiations with the government. So what is Imran Khan complaining about ?
What peace talks? Govt has never lifted a finger towards peace talks. Hasn't even appt a negotiator, had a single conversation with the Taliban, and has demanded that the Taliban turn in their weapons before negotiations commence. That sound like someone who is serious about peace negotiations? Further - anyone ever consider that a govt which doesn't control the military isn't in a position to negotiation a peace deal with anyone?
Hear the man out. He is trying to reverse a process. Maybe it bears fruit. Imran is a natural leader. Sorry to state, but the media, and its self proclaimed experts do not have a strategy to deal with the problem. Neither does the army
I like that he is continuously pressurizing the government. Otherwise, the current government will just snooze! Imran Khan, I hope you have the iron nerve to deal with the Taliban who are now resenting any talks!
taliban khan speaks again for his friends
Only history will tell how much damage this man has done to this country.
This man is delusional. Please take pity on him. His mental health is not good.
Imran Khan and talks with the Taliban! I think this boys cheese flew off his cracker
thats the whole point. is there any peace talk going on??? hakeemullah never admitted if theres any peace talk. can there be peace talk with killers of Maj. general Niazi? imagine if so called peace talks (if any) are successful, will we accept killers of 50,000 pakistanis as normal? agree or not, drones are the most effective weapon against taliban in the war of who ever, which killed 50,000 pakistanis.
now federal government should take some responsibility and the foreign office should write a letter to US to ensure that no drone attack take place next time during peace talks.
What a crack-brained wisdom.............just as no load-shedding during sehri, iftar................. minutes???
YES YES YES YES YESSSS !!!! HOW MANY TIMES DO WE NEED TO SAY THAT?? HOW MANY TIMES DOES MEDIA HAVE TO ASK THIS QUESTION FROM IMRAN KHAN AND GENERAL PUBLIC ??? Everybody knows what America wants !!! DAMN IT !!
He sounds like a kid whose toys were broken by a bully.
Why so defensive Imran Khan?
Well imran khan should reconsider the appointment of the most corrupt xminister Nadir Leghari as Sindh president of PTI. He is no less Mr Khan. Think before you speak.
What peace talks now ? Talibans have already announced that there will be no peace talks - instead they will attack government. Pakistani Government fails to protect common man from these monsters.
Adamant? Not a pleasant word to use please!
Dear Khan
How about also demanding "No bomb blasts" from ur "friends" too?