ISLAMABAD: At the height of the long march, former prime minister of Pakistan Imran khan announced on Saturday that his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf would leave all provincial councils, a move aimed at increasing pressure on the besieged government to call for snap polls.
Speaking in front of hundreds of thousands of supporters at Rawalpindi in his first public appearance after being shot and wounded in the leg at a protest in Wazirabad, Pakistan Punjab, three weeks ago, PTI president stated: “We will not march towards Islamabad because I do not want to sow chaos and anarchy in the country. But we have decided not to continue being part of this system. We have decided to drop all councils and get rid of this corrupt system.”
The PTI led by Khan is within the government in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistani-occupied Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Khan said he discussed the issue of withdrawal from all councils with all ministers and a final decision on the matter would be announced after PTI’s parliamentary party meeting.
Imran claims his party is not coming to Rawalpindi for elections or politics but because the country needs a new election.
Khan again alleged that “three criminals” were waiting to make another attempt at his life. The former prime minister has accused Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and ISI Major General Faisal Naseer of plotting to attack him in Wazirabad. “Fear turns an entire nation into a slave. You shouldn’t be afraid of threats or violence,” he told his supporters from behind bulletproof glass.
Khan admitted that he had failed during his term as Prime Minister to bring those in power to justice, saying they were protected by regions of power, alluding to the military establishment.
Imran said Pakistan’s history will prove that he kept fighting until the last ball for Pakistan. “I would also say that people who see their wealth rise sharply (referring to General Qamar Javed Bajwa) and trampled on the rights of the nation… history is also turning to him and writing down what he did to the country.”
Khan’s long march had begun from Lahore on 28 October but was halted after the attack on him. Before the Rawalpindi rally, he spoke to supporters daily via video links.
Speaking in front of hundreds of thousands of supporters at Rawalpindi in his first public appearance after being shot and wounded in the leg at a protest in Wazirabad, Pakistan Punjab, three weeks ago, PTI president stated: “We will not march towards Islamabad because I do not want to sow chaos and anarchy in the country. But we have decided not to continue being part of this system. We have decided to drop all councils and get rid of this corrupt system.”
The PTI led by Khan is within the government in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistani-occupied Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Khan said he discussed the issue of withdrawal from all councils with all ministers and a final decision on the matter would be announced after PTI’s parliamentary party meeting.
Imran claims his party is not coming to Rawalpindi for elections or politics but because the country needs a new election.
Khan again alleged that “three criminals” were waiting to make another attempt at his life. The former prime minister has accused Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and ISI Major General Faisal Naseer of plotting to attack him in Wazirabad. “Fear turns an entire nation into a slave. You shouldn’t be afraid of threats or violence,” he told his supporters from behind bulletproof glass.
Khan admitted that he had failed during his term as Prime Minister to bring those in power to justice, saying they were protected by regions of power, alluding to the military establishment.
Imran said Pakistan’s history will prove that he kept fighting until the last ball for Pakistan. “I would also say that people who see their wealth rise sharply (referring to General Qamar Javed Bajwa) and trampled on the rights of the nation… history is also turning to him and writing down what he did to the country.”
Khan’s long march had begun from Lahore on 28 October but was halted after the attack on him. Before the Rawalpindi rally, he spoke to supporters daily via video links.
