For the record: Imran says his directives come from masses, not army

PTI chief vows to return to D-Chowk today

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan addressed his supporters on Friday evening, ostensibly to bolster spirits dampened by the downpour in the capital.

Even as the government’s political Jirga continues its meetings with the PTI leadership, Imran stated, “I am not going back. Let the dialogue committee continue with their talks but I am not going to go back without Nawaz Sharif’s resignation.”

In another address later in the evening, the PTI chief announced to his supporters that they would be returning to D-Chowk today (Saturday).

Imran clarified that the army is not intervening in the current political situation, reiterating, “The government should be ashamed of itself for defaming the army.” He added, “I am here on the directives of the nation.”

Addressing detractors in the government who vented their frustration against the Pakistan Awami Tehreek and PTI both online via social media sites and offline in the joint session of parliament regarding the postponement of  Chinese President Xi Jingping’s visit to Pakistan, Imran claimed, “The president did not cancel his visit due to the protests, but because of the 800 containers across the capital.”

“I feel the Chinese president cancelled his trip because he knows the PM is about to leave.” While Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal vented his ire about ‘groundbreaking projects worth billions of dollars’ left in the lurch due to the delay in the visit, Imran stated, “The Chinese president was not coming here to make an investment, he was coming here to give a loan.” Addressing his supporters, he added, “Who was supposed to return that loan? You and I and our future generations.”

“We have come out despite the storm and I salute your junoon.”

Referring once more to the crackdown by police on protestors on Constitution Avenue, Khan said, “The way the police attacked us is unparalleled in Western democracies and even in India, but the drama going on in the Assembly blames us.” He claimed that those who spoke against PTI the loudest in the joint session are ‘the bigger fixers’.

He claimed that ballot boxes in PP-147 had 3,224 bogus votes cast. In 10 polling stations, there were no ballot papers and in some stations, the votes for Imran Khan for the National Assembly had been placed incorrectly in provincial assembly boxes, he claimed. “Demanding the resignation of an elected PM is nothing new,” Imran said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2014.