PTI chief Imran Khan addressing workers in Karachi on Tuesday. PHOTO: ONLINE
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday launched its campaign for the local government elections in Karachi.
“We’ll bring back peace in Karachi,” PTI chief Imran Khan said addressing a convention of the party candidates and supporters.
Encouraging the party workers to gear up for the local bodies’ polls, Imran said PTI was here to kindle the lost ray of hope in the city.
Like the general election drive before May polls last year, Imran again said the people of Karachi who are living in ‘fear’ will have a ‘new Karachi’ soon. “The time of those who do their politics through guns is about to end.”
He said that the politics of fear and intimidation did not prevail in Karachi only, it exists across Sindh. “Our party candidates are being harassed, tortured and implicated in false cases in rural areas.”
Addressing the meeting at the Beach Luxury Hotel on Tuesday, he said that the reign of parties with status quo will soon end. “The sea of common people will wash them away,” he added.
He asked his party candidates to visit every nook and corner of the city before the LG polls. “The next turn is yours,” he said to party workers. “I congratulate you for contesting elections.”
Cowardly leadership
“A cowardly person can’t become a leader of the nation. Don’t be afraid of anyone but Allah.” He asked party candidates to stand firm and be strong leader like him. “Have you ever seen in last 17 years that anyone put a price-tag on me?” he asked and the workers roared “No, never.” Imran again asked: “Have you ever seen me afraid of anyone?” and they again roared, “Never.”
Mini Pakistan
“Karachi is a mini Pakistan,” Imran said, Pakistan will be strong if Karachi is strong. Political parties for their vested interests had divided people and spread hatred among different ethnic groups. “They sowed differences among Punjabi, Pathan, Sindhi and Urdu speaking people.” He said that his party will again make the city prosperous, peaceful and progressive.
Without naming Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, he said that there is a young boy who had learnt Urdu recently and intended to save Sindh. He said the culprits involved in the murder of his party leader, Zahra Hussain, who was shot dead on May 18 outside her house in Karachi, will be brought to task.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2014.
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@ ruby i was born but I am half dead when i saw so many citizens dying ....
@concerned and who gave you that static about Karachi crime? or you know exactly what Talibans are doing and what not? either you are so inept, or complicit with them!
check karachi crime rate from 2004 to 2008. in 2009, mqm leader warned everybody that Talibans getting in karachi under disguise of IDP of swat operation- everybody took it as a joke! including yourself.. 2010- we saw zulfiqar mirza accepting that he gave 3lakh license- and to use them on marriages..to who?? anybody dare to ask?
@PTIzindabad i am very poorly educated because of quota system, so i dont know much about computers. but for sure i know that you you are not looking for insaaf, but instead Talibanization all over the country... You are insafian is itself a contradictory statement when you ignore the affected person of Talibans, their views, their blood, and ask for talk with those butchers. insaaf"? huh is that what you call Insaaf? I guess than keep it to yourself in KPK!
@farah far: Mqm if you are good enough why didn’t you proof yourself when you had full authority of this city But that's exactly what they They DID! They DID Prove themselves when they had control of only 35% of the city, not even the entiry city. This was mainly between 2003-2007, with Mustafa Kamal as mayor and Wasim Akhtar as Home Minister and Musharraf as President. Karachi prospered at that time and law and order was so much better.... WERE YOU NOT BORN BY THEN?
@urbanlegend
Mqm and ppp are the problem in Khi. Taliban crimes are comparatively smaller than the two parties.
I can't follow feudals (slave drivers ) or the man who openly threatens my ppl from London. There are good ppl in mqm but the leader is dragging it down
mqm needs to change completely if it wants to remain khis favorite party. Abb dhandly and ghundagardi nahi chalay GI
@farah far: Simple answer. When protectors change to looters. This happens. Credit goes to MQM, PPP.
@Karachiwala: You really thing we follow the ratings. We are Insafians, we know it is very easy to wipe of your Brower cookies and keep increasing the Likes / Recommendation by the same person. Now if I was from MQM or PMLN I wont know that. Would I?
@farah far:
You for sure don't live in Karachi. City was largely peaceful when MQM had his local govt and Interior Ministry was with MQM. The seed of hatred that Zulfiqar Mirza sowed and the thousands of arms licenses that he distributed to his jiyalas are why you see even Rangers failing to bring peace in even Lyari.
Mqm if you are good enough why didn't you proof yourself when you had full authority of this city ...who will answer all the chaos happening ...ha ha keep blaming we know who is culprit. ?.all through out your governance what happened ...hmm let me think who is left from these butchers every citizen have a tale to tell .....where were you and where are you ...why these thiefs, kidnappers bata khors will be questioned why there has been no cases against these crimnals why they have high handedness above law why why why where were you where are you ??????
rating on comments looking good... that alone should be enough to send IK right signals. Please pti ..and pti supporters, who want taliban mentality people to roam on clifton and sea view..looking to do their daily scrum. Note: Remember ttp do not know any other thing beside what they do now! so they will not drive truck or buss in karachi, they will do their deed.
“Have you ever seen in last 17 years that anyone put a price-tag on me?”
Yes, Musharaff himself stated, that in 2002 you were demanding more seats then what yoy were worth. Hence, it led you to distance you self from Mushy, when your power hunger thirst wasn't full-filled. Thereafter you went collecting for Lota.....Rest is History.
I am from Karachi and I will vote PTI. Progress in KPK might be slow but they are on the right track as they are eliminating corruption first. Politics of violence and division must end in Karachi.
I am from Khi, and i will vote for PTI.
I am tired of being defined as Muhajir when i was born in Pak. tired of the muhajir card and the sindhi card.
Loved MQM at one point, and still support its policies but wont stand for violence and extortion which is still a word synonymous with MQM.
PPP has their own ghundas in the name of PAC, Ozair Baloch still not caught after numerous operations shows how honest PPP is about Khi.
I never got the PTI stance on taliban but I get it now, u kill one taliban 2 more will be born. stop the killing and the taliban will eventually disappear.
People of Karachi will vote for PTI because we want to see Khi prosper . The parties doing politics on muhajir, pathan sindhi , punjabi cards will never ever give anything to karachi except extortion and violence , political instability.
only reasonable person left in Pakistan because reasonable people usually don't stay in Pakistan
I would like to thank everybody who like my leader and who dont like i dont care but the time will tell that Imran is the man of his words.
@Ahmed: Give Imran a chance to haveTaliban offices opened all over Pakistan Karachi has seen barbarism of Taliban and will not vote for Taliban apologists
@Noman: Nightmare for who? Did u see the jalsa on 5th Jan. There is always an anti MQM vote, it went to PTI May last year, nothing has changed in the past 30 years, the power and magic of MQM prevails. Army in and outside the polling booths, results remain the same, and will remain the same in the LB polls
Sorry, Mr. Khan. We have had enough of your bashing of anybody and everybody and of your shallow promises. Your silence on LG law amendments, delimitation of constituencies, Gang War goons daily kills, kidnappings and bhattas, prove you continue to remain biased against Urdu speaking. Your recent acts and words proved you have not changed and remain as biased as you were since your cricketing days.
You are not welcome to Karachi.
No ones going to vote for PTI in karachi now. You failed to boost our morales after people were on the streets protesting for you in a dangerous situation. Karachiites are falling back for MQM. You neglected us, you should pay! go hug punjab ! Its the only place in pakistan that you have targeted !
ET, no story on recent unanimously adopted Accountability act in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa?
Oh Allah I request you to give Imran a chance with full time and power to run our country Ameen.
I wish for achange ...I am tired of people who govern this city what have they done they have made the city a war zone there are deaths in dozens everyday !!!!!! you go to any house in khi who is not affected, eevery house will have bad story to tell ....wake up please citizens of karachi
Sorry Mr.Imran Khan you have lost Karachi because of your false promises and support for the Taliban. We are now back to our roots and will support MQM. True Karachite!
IK spends two days in Karachi, motivates his contestants and send shivers down the spine of workers of modern East India Company headquartered in Edgware Road.
I was a bit unhappy with IK not focusing Khi but I understand KP is his biggest priority and now since KP reform agenda is on the right track, he apologized for neglecting Sindh and is back in action.
Well done Khan, hope to see you in my city more frequent now!
What happened in KPK in the last 8 months despite you have your own CM and dont compare yourself with MQM because we only had the CM once in Sindh in times of Musharraf and tell me if there was any ethical killings in Karachi or Sindh. IK, I hate you because you never talked about the grievances of the Urdu speaking people you are always anti-MQM like the rest of Pakistani parties. Despite MQM went under severe agencies operation in 90s you never said a word of sympathy to us also you never talked about quota system because pathans anyway has quota in Karachi do Urdu speaking have any quota in the rest of Pakistan anywhere. Also the quota system, the roits of Urdu speaking with other ethnics were there even before MQM never existed, did anyone talked about that. You are just another party who want to rule Karachi and your dream will never come true, mark my words that you have decreased your voters from the last elections because this is the first time you have visited Karachi since last elections. Your magic would work on the teenagers who didnt see the 90s operation and tortured, murdered and vanished lots of Urdu speakings but not on me. I have seen the times when I was not given admission in KU because Punjabi and Pathan and Sindhi had quota seats for themselves but I havent had the quota for myself in GIK or LUMS or Mehran Uni. Where is your justice in this regards, do you have answer for my grievances ? No, you don't because you spent most of your time outside Karachi and listen to those who are non-Karachitties. You never ever denied what Zulpigar Mirza said for us. Sorry mate I hate you,I hate you, I hate you. Put this on ET if you can.
Only Reasonable person in our country.No Doubt.
MQM's worst nightmare,..
love this man and PTI whole heatedly, No matter what haters say but change will come soon through this Guy believe me. let the next election come. may god bless him with health.
IK is an interesting man. He could not keep his family united, has his cricket history marred with biased decisions (take Miandad case besides others) and talks about uniting Pakistan. Pls no more promises and prove you could do something. KPK went for you as you were Khan, but we want people who are sincere with Karachi! Pls no shallow promises and drumbeating!
You were quiet on LG laws and delimitation. You stay quiet when it comes to rights of common Karachiite. You keep tight lipped when Gang War goons loot, kidnap, kill and rape common citizens here. And you continue to make promises and continue to throw mud at others. That wont get you votes, my dear! People trusted you earlier, but not any more.
Get your acts together before thinking about ruling Karachi. You or your puppets are NOT WELCOME here!
IK's role in Sindh politics is not more than what Katrina had in Dhoom 3, Few item numbers some hotel based jalsa's and that's it.
inshallah pti will perform better in local bodies elections in karachi
Plz save KP first then turn towards Karachi.
LG convention: Next turn is yours, Imran tells PTI Karachi candidates
IN YOUR DREAMS!
Remember by-elections, in the recent past August 2013
Wishful thinking Mr. Khan... the way your party has disappointed the liberal moderates you have no chance in karachi... moreover, you can't sell your "change" slogan anymore because this is 2014 not 2013, Karachiites don't want a change where taliban mentality becomes mainstream