Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Mian Mehmoodur Rashid on Monday warned the government against arresting Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan or putting him under house arrest.
“The government will be responsible for any eventuality if it takes such a step,” Rashid told a press conference.
“No one can take away our right to protest.”
He said the government wanted to turn the PTI’s peaceful Azadi March on August 14 into a bloody event. He said the prime minister was morally obliged to resign after Khan had presented proof of rigging of general elections.
“It is impossible to hold a fair investigation [into the alleged poll rigging] in the presence of a prime minister who himself has come to power through rigging.”
Rashid said he hoped the judiciary would stay away from political issues.
“The guests for a few days are planning for 2025,” he said in a reference to the prime minister’s speech at the launch of Vision 2025 programme.
“They have violated the Constitution, killed innocent citizens and stolen their mandate. The PTI will never spare them for their crimes against democracy.”
Azadi March
PTI’s Punjab chapter president Ejaz Chaudhry said Azadi March would be peaceful.
“We will march onto Islamabad on foot if the government puts barriers in the streets leading to the capital,” Chaudhry told a press conference.
“The government has turned the province into a jail. Patients are dying on streets which have been blocked, citizens are being arrested and there is shortage of items of daily use.”
He said the PTI had arranged four big public gatherings and 100 workers’ conventions since it started its protest campaign in April. “We remained peaceful and no damage was done to public or private property,” Chaudhry said.
“Peaceful protest is a legitimate right but the government has resorted to the violence to suppress the people’s voice,” the PTI leader said.
He said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafique, Law Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan and Information and Broadcasting Minister Pervaiz Rashid would be held responsible if things turned violent during Azadi March. Chaudhry said the Sharifs had acquired assets in 20 countries.
He said the PTI wanted electoral reforms, fair elections and accountability. He warned the inspector general against obeying what he called “unlawful orders” of Shairf. He asked police to provide security to participants of Azadi March.
He said PTI chairman Imran Khan would lead the march, to be started from Charing Cross at 10am on August 14.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 12th,2014.
COMMENTS (2)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Undisclosed offshore family ownership worth billions is sufficient reason to dismiss any ruler, NS or who ever. One should first listen to ones conscience, otherwise, would find oneself compromising on lot of things in ones personal lives. You would see supporters who do not dismiss NS, knowing about the corruption, are the ones to have grabbed family inheritances or similar oppression in their personal lives. If you can accept one kind of financial corruption, live with it comfortably, you can live with NS undisclosed offshore family ownership, and support him. NS kind of corruption is the difference between a country where democracy is dysfunctional, does not exist, despite the claims of democracy in the country, and countries like those in Western Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, America, where democracy is seen fully functional.
This is is lack of sincerity to have not cooperated over the last 14 months, and all of a sudden throwing in towel to avoid long march & potentially resignation. I urge everyone to reject those who of undisclosed offshore family ownership & rule you.