Naya Pakistan not possible without support from Karachi, says Imran

Urges all communities to come out and vote on April 23


Rabia Ali/web Desk April 19, 2015
SCREEN GRAB

Hundreds of supporters gathered at Shahrah-e-Pakistan in Karachi for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s rally ahead of the NA-246 by-polls.

PTI chairman Imran Khan had announced to hold a rally today to campaign for the NA-246 by-polls. The rally was earlier scheduled to be held at Jinnah Bagh but the party later shifted it to Shahrah-e-Pakistan.



9:52pm

PTI chairman Imran Khan arrives on stage to address the rally.

“I am here to fulfill my dream of Naya Pakistan, which is incomplete without Karachi," he said.

He urged all communities of Karachi to come out and vote on April 23.

Read the full story here.





9:52pm

PTI’s candidate from NA-246 Imran Ismail addressing the rally, says MQM claims to be a representative of the poor but it gave birth to feudals, our correspondent Rabia Ali reports.

“Babar Ghauri seized property of the poor and turned it into marriage lawns,” he said.

I am a son of Karachi, not an absconder on the run, he adds.





9:33pm

PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi addresses the crowd, says all movements in the country originated from Karachi.

“Imran Khan has come not to win a seat but to change the country’s political system,” he said.



PHOTO: PTI





8:59pm

PTI sees conspiracy behind power outage at the rally venue.





8:38pm

Power partially restored, sound system becomes operational, our correspondent Rabia Ali reports.





8:32pm

Lights, sound system shut down due to a technical fault in the generator, our correspondent Rabia Ali reports.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah directs restoration of streets lights in the area at the earliest.





8:15pm

Power outage at the rally venue. Consequently, the sound system also experiences shut down.





8:11pm

PTI chairman Imran Khan reaches the rally venue.



7:45pm

Rally participants chant "go Altaf go" slogans, our corespondent reports.



7:39pm

The stage is set, party leaders will reach the venue shortly.



Imran Khan is expected to address the rally from the pedestrian bridge, our correspondent Rabia Ali reports.





7:03pm

PTI chairman Imran Khan leaves hotel to join the party rally at Ayesha Manzil.






PHOTO: RABIA ALI

Read: NA-246 by-polls: PTI to hold rally on Sharae Pakistan, not Jinnah Ground

The rally is scheduled to start at 5pm.

Addressing the media, the PTI chairman said their rally in MQM's stronghold is to end fear in the people of Karachi.

“This is a great match because it’s not just about how big the rally is but about the fact elections are being held in this constituency,” Imran said.


PHOTO: RABIA ALI

“Change is that elections are being held in no-go areas,” he added.

Imran claimed the MQM held a big rally last night as they too, similar to PTI, are harnessing support ahead of the by-polls.

The PTI chairman, along with his wife Reham Khan and senior party leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Jehangir Tareen, arrived in Karachi Saturday night.


PHOTO: RABIA ALI

Touching down in the city, Imran linked the fate of Karachi to the outcome of the NA-246 (Azizabad) by-election — a vote result that could potentially alter both the future of Karachi and the prosperity of Pakistan.

Read: Race for Azizabad: By-polls to decide Karachi’s future, says Imran Khan


PHOTO: RABIA ALI

“We are contesting this seat only to bring the people of Karachi out of fear,” said Imran. “This one seat will not change anything for us in the National Assembly.”

Earlier today, Imran visited leading businessman and prominent stock broker Aqeel Kareem Dhedhi to raise funds for another hospital.

COMMENTS (19)

Morons | 9 years ago | Reply So disappointed by IK over the past three years!! He is fighting a lost cause, wasting time and claiming so much out of nothing!! There is no fear in Karachi from MQM, but for only those who do not love the city. Those who love Karachi knows that MQM is their only savior at this time. Don't know what IK is claiming.
S.R.H. Hashmi | 9 years ago | Reply If Imran Khan and his party members really grieved over the plight of people, then they would have tended to the far more deserving people within and in the immediate neighbourhood of the province that his party is ruling. There are the people who had to live away from their homes, and in the not-so-well-furnished camps for months on end. And now that they are moving back to their houses, they would not be returning to newly-painted, decorated houses well-stocked with groceries. But instead of giving them moral, and all possible material support, Imran Khan and his team members are busy politicking in Karachi, in the hope of gaining one National Assembly seat, which they have absolutely no chance of winning. Within the province and its neighbourhoood, there are people who have no access to the facilities available to most of Pakistanis living elsewhere in the country. In fact, these people seem to be a few centuries behind the rest of us. I wish Imran Khan and his team members could spare a thought and shed a tear over the plight of people much nearer home and do something to improve their lot, instead of offering sweet dreams to people of Karachi nearly 1,400 kilometes away. Karachi
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