As he regretted Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s (PAT) decision to call off its sit-in in the capital, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan still thanked Dr Tahirul Qadri on Wednesday for joining hands with him to ‘wake up the nation’.
Addressing his supporters a day after PAT announced its decision, Imran vowed to continue his own sit-in until Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif resigned from office. “I will continue this dharna until Nawaz quits office, even if I have to continue it till my last breath,” he said.
“This is a defining moment… If we don’t challenge the ruling elite… which has accumulated billions… your children will be slaves of their [the rulers’] families forever.”
The PTI chief added that the protests in the capital had changed the attitude of people across the nation.
Responding to his critics, Imran said the recent development had revealed that his sit-in wasn’t carried out as part of ‘any London plan’. Explaining difference between PTI and PAT’s sit-ins, he said the former carried out its movement to protest against rigging in last year’s general elections while the latter was demanding justice for the Model Town incident.
Imran censured the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government over some of its decisions, saying the Rs50 billion being spent on the Metro Bus Project should have been spent for people’s welfare instead, and that instead of going for coal power plants, priority should have been given to hydel generation. “Coal is a costly source compared to hydel… but it takes time to complete hydel plants and the PML-N government is in a hurry.”
“The rulers don’t care about money they are borrowing because they will simply flee the country once they are out of power,” he said.
The PTI leader also accused the government and opposition of joining hands to appoint a National Accountability Bureau chairman who could clear them of corruption. “We will make sure you declare your assets, Nawaz,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2014.
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Imran Khan sahab please be stand till the change is being happened, otherwise your political carrer will be finished and people of Pakistan will be disappointed as there is not one like you who can stand the Pakistan among the big nations. I pray for your long life to serve Pakistan and its peoples.
Its a win win situation for Pakistan. PAT will go to smaller cities and villages to educate the people and Khan can keep his symbolic dharna in place. Why do feudals get elected? Because the downtrodden dont know their own rights. Plus the PAT is solidifying its roots in rural Pakistans politics as perhaps it cant take away PTI's urban vote bank.
TuQ should teach strategy at university level as his vision is of so far ahead. The long march, which was considered a sham and was ridiculed, was done for electoral reforms ... had we listened perhaps we would have had a better election other then crying right now.
IK needs all the support for the cause he is standing for. We need clean and transparent government.
Khan sb is my voice in this country that suffocates its own people
PTI Was never in dharna. They do a night show from 6 to 9 everyday. PAT was the one holding ground for 70 days. While I ran khan was doing musical concert every night.
So you mean dharna till 2018?
So what IK wanted is to have TUQ in the container for an indefinite period and his supporters facing all the hardships of the changing weather ..........where he himself can roam all over Pakistan have jalsas, enjoy banigala food, sleep and exercise and in the end enjoy benefits of all these dharnas as well...........For 2 months TUQ was doing every effort so its time for IK to show that he is also capable of carrying this dharna on his own and was he able to resist this long if TUQ was not in this at the v first place.
What are the "Regrets" ?
I'm thinking what IK says is totally right, then why some peoples do oppose him, isn't he talks for them and for their children s future, did our population really got that much blind that they cant even choose what good for them. Please think of it and keep aside your personal ego...
The change in KPK is evident, the fools can still be fooled but now there is a lot of work being done in Peshawar. In health, Police, Education, etc. IK has proven that he can do it. That is why now I trust IK and support PTI. We should not leave him alone in Islamabad..
NS should not allow Qadri to leave Pakistan and place him in the ECL. Later Government should initiate treason charges on him.