Sargodha rally: Hashmi’s defeat a lesson for PML-N, PPP, says Imran
PTI chief says policy of ‘friendly politics’ has backfired; next jalsa in Gujrat on Oct 24.
SARGODHA:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday called the defeat of Makhdoom Javed Hashmi in the Multan by-elections ‘a lesson’ for both the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and said that the ‘friendly politics’ of the two parties has backfired.
Hashmi, who had full backing of the PML-N, lost to Amir Dogar, who enjoyed the support of PTI’s Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, in Thursday’s by-election on NA-149 which was described by political pundits as a virtual contest between the PML-N and PTI.
“The surety bond of the PPP candidate for Multan by-election was confiscated, simply because the party chose to play friendly opposition to please Nawaz Sharif’s government,” the PTI chairman said while addressing a massive public gathering in Sargodha – a district considered a stronghold of the PML-N.
“You both [PML-N and PPP] have cut a clandestine deal to take turns [in power], but the masses have rejected this,” the PTI chief added.
Predicting general elections next year, Imran urged the nation to prepare for ousting ‘looters and plunderers’ from the country. “The time has come to bring in a government which believes in transparency, fair-play and justice, and which will steer the country out of poverty, unemployment and lawlessness and put it on the path to prosperity and progress,” he said.
“Those who used to say that there are only two political parties in Pakistan will see the PTI emerging as the single largest party in the next elections,” he added. In a sharp rejoinder to Prime Minister Nawaz’s jibe about ‘Naya Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’, Imran challenged the PML-N to compare its performance in Punjab with his party’s performance in K-P.
“K-P is emerging as the new face of Pakistan… a place where there’s no political interference in the affairs of police or other institutions, and no lawmaker from the PTI or any other party can have relatives posted against high positions,” he said. “In Punjab, on the other hand, SHOs still cannot be appointed without a prior approval from Raiwind.”
The PTI chief added that soon, an accountability bureau in K-P would hold every corrupt official and politician accountable regardless of influence, “unlike NAB [National Accountability Bureau] which gives out clean chits to Nawaz and Zardari.”
“You [Nawaz] asked me to make a new K-P before Naya Pakistan. I want to tell you that it is in the making.”
Imran continued with his criticism of the PML-N and PPP leadership, and urged their workers to ask their leaders to disclose their assets and sources of income. “I’m addressing the workers of the PML-N and PPP,” he said. “If you are worried about the future of your children, hold your leaders accountable.”
“The Sharifs are ruling Pakistan but making huge investments in the UK, using wealth they stole from the people of Pakistan,” he said. The PTI chief added that the government was doling out funds for hundreds of thousands of tribesmen displaced by the North Waziristan operation without any audit.
The PTI chairman announced his party will hold a political rally in Gujrat next Friday. He also warned the PPP that he was coming to Larkana, the hometown of the Bhutto family, in November, and said he was sure that the Sindhis will turn out in large numbers. “I’m coming to Larkana on November 21,” he said, adding that “the Sindhis are fed up with the politics of the PPP.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 18th, 2014.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday called the defeat of Makhdoom Javed Hashmi in the Multan by-elections ‘a lesson’ for both the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and said that the ‘friendly politics’ of the two parties has backfired.
Hashmi, who had full backing of the PML-N, lost to Amir Dogar, who enjoyed the support of PTI’s Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, in Thursday’s by-election on NA-149 which was described by political pundits as a virtual contest between the PML-N and PTI.
“The surety bond of the PPP candidate for Multan by-election was confiscated, simply because the party chose to play friendly opposition to please Nawaz Sharif’s government,” the PTI chairman said while addressing a massive public gathering in Sargodha – a district considered a stronghold of the PML-N.
“You both [PML-N and PPP] have cut a clandestine deal to take turns [in power], but the masses have rejected this,” the PTI chief added.
Predicting general elections next year, Imran urged the nation to prepare for ousting ‘looters and plunderers’ from the country. “The time has come to bring in a government which believes in transparency, fair-play and justice, and which will steer the country out of poverty, unemployment and lawlessness and put it on the path to prosperity and progress,” he said.
“Those who used to say that there are only two political parties in Pakistan will see the PTI emerging as the single largest party in the next elections,” he added. In a sharp rejoinder to Prime Minister Nawaz’s jibe about ‘Naya Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’, Imran challenged the PML-N to compare its performance in Punjab with his party’s performance in K-P.
“K-P is emerging as the new face of Pakistan… a place where there’s no political interference in the affairs of police or other institutions, and no lawmaker from the PTI or any other party can have relatives posted against high positions,” he said. “In Punjab, on the other hand, SHOs still cannot be appointed without a prior approval from Raiwind.”
The PTI chief added that soon, an accountability bureau in K-P would hold every corrupt official and politician accountable regardless of influence, “unlike NAB [National Accountability Bureau] which gives out clean chits to Nawaz and Zardari.”
“You [Nawaz] asked me to make a new K-P before Naya Pakistan. I want to tell you that it is in the making.”
Imran continued with his criticism of the PML-N and PPP leadership, and urged their workers to ask their leaders to disclose their assets and sources of income. “I’m addressing the workers of the PML-N and PPP,” he said. “If you are worried about the future of your children, hold your leaders accountable.”
“The Sharifs are ruling Pakistan but making huge investments in the UK, using wealth they stole from the people of Pakistan,” he said. The PTI chief added that the government was doling out funds for hundreds of thousands of tribesmen displaced by the North Waziristan operation without any audit.
The PTI chairman announced his party will hold a political rally in Gujrat next Friday. He also warned the PPP that he was coming to Larkana, the hometown of the Bhutto family, in November, and said he was sure that the Sindhis will turn out in large numbers. “I’m coming to Larkana on November 21,” he said, adding that “the Sindhis are fed up with the politics of the PPP.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 18th, 2014.