BAHALWALPUR:
Apparently backtracking on his earlier demand for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step down to ensure a fair audit of the 2013 elections, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday called for an ‘independent commission’ to investigate his rigging allegations.
“I call upon the government to constitute a commission under the Supreme Court to probe into the massive electoral fraud. The government should decide who will head the commission,” he said, adding that officials from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) should also sit on such a panel.
Addressing a big public meeting in the southern Punjab district of Rahim Yar Khan, the PTI chairman said the proposed commission should conclude its investigations in 4-6 weeks. “And if it proves rigging, then the prime minister must resign and fresh elections should be held under an independent election commission,” he added.
Imran also expressed reservations over the proposed nomination of former chief justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani for the office of chief election commissioner, saying that the “PTI wants a free judiciary in Pakistan, but the judiciary is still not free”.
Imran was visibly happy to see the turnout at the rally in Rahim Yar Khan, an underdeveloped region which, according to him, has been neglected by successive governments.
“This is not the Pakistan that the Quaid-i-Azam and Allama Iqbal had envisioned. We have failed to realise their dreams because we have never utilised our true potential and have not recognise our true potential,” he said.
“When I say I will build a ‘Naya Pakistan’ people try to demotivate me but we have to keep our hopes high,” he said and claimed that time was not far when people would come to Pakistan for jobs and Pakistanis would not have to go abroad in search of greener pastures.
“After building a ‘Naya Pakistan’, I will prove that I’m the person who people trust with their money because they know that I will never steal their money; they know that their money will not be spent on Imran Khan’s house but for the welfare of the people,” he said.
He said during the last 88 days of his sit-in, he had not attended any wedding or funeral, could not meet his sons and had been living in candle-light because his electricity connection had been cut off due to nonpayment of bill worth Rs30,000.
“I am making all these sacrifices for the country and not for prime minister-ship. The love and warmth of people is enough for me,” he said. Imran said he did not give a damn to a prime minister-ship like that of Nawaz Sharif who had to listen to the chant of ‘Go Nawaz, Go’ whenever he came out of his house.
He once again challenged Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari to declare their assets and also show their paid taxes. Imran also invited people on November 30 at his grand protest in Islamabad.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 10th, 2014.
COMMENTS (10)
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My question is why Nawaz Sharif let their brother Shahbaz Sharif to recent China visit ? why not for remaining three CM’s (i.e. Sind, KP & Balochistan) ? Is there any personal agenda? As my recent survey about KP performance, IK made fear to KP Provincial Government Officers they came to office in time and performed their duty well, also Police department performance is improved.
Another U turn. You now get the impression from IK speeches that he wants to build a doll house and name it Naya Pakistan.
Really, since when is the military neutral????
Dr. Mr. Cautious Would you add anything if the opposite happens? Nawaz Sharif resigns, apologizes the nation for the mass rigging, and agrees never to run for office again?
After PTI, IK and Qadri end their Dharna the main question remains. What have they achieved after losing several people and injuring many. The attacks on govt property and loss of so much revenue. We should hold their feet to the fire and not let them get away with compromises and back to their mansions. These rich and powerful cannot stay out in the winter and would surrender to NS's conditions. The biggest losers are Pakistan and its people.
We can clearly see he want to go. The resignation demand was not realistic anyway. He could have attain max in first week of dharana but his stubbornness ruined it. NS should give him an honourable face saving now.
Misleading and intellectually dishonest reporting from E.T. Still not as bad a DAWN. Shows how irrelevant DAWN and E.T. have become.
How about a SC investigation without the military. If the SC rules that there was not enough evidence to remove Sharif from office then IK pays a multi million defamation penalty, resigns from office and agrees never to run for office again?
Love you Imran Khan
Imran Khan is master of u turns and inconsistencies. No one can take anything he says seriously. Let him keep doing dharnas for the next decade while the government works at tackling the energy crisis, building infrastructure and the economy. Naya Pakistan sure looks new with Shaikh Rasheed and Gujrat Chaudries.