- The PTI Chief has expressed gratitude for his party workers and supporters for crossing all the barriers to reach his jalsa at Minar-e-Pakistan.
Lahore: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan gave an ‘economic roadmap’ to steer the country out of crises, emphasizing over improvement of the governance system.
Imran Khan stressed upon the need for supremacy of rule of law in the country.
“The way the government deals need to be completely changed,” said the PTI Chairman while addressing party’s historic gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan on Saturday night.
Khan addressed the party workers and supporters from inside the bullet-proof container due to security threats. Other party leaders including Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi and Asad Umar were also present there on the stage.
A large number of workers and supporters reached Minar-e-Pakistan by crossing all obstacles and hurdles in their way as the provincial government blocked all the roads leading to the said venue.
The PTI Chief said that the exports would take time while explaining the ways to bring dollars to the country.
“Overseas Pakistanis are asset. They have to be facilitated for increment in the remittances,” he added, stressing more over the improvement of the governance system and the rule of law.
Imran Khan said, “The problems will be solved if we improve the governance system and impose rule of law,”. The rule of law would give confidence to the expats, he added.
He stated that there were ten Paksitani businessmen in the United States who possessed properties worth $25 billion. Referring to the Bloomberg report, Khan said that several Pakistanis bought properties worth $10.4 billion in the United Arab Emirates.
“We cannot progress unless we impose rule of law as it is the way out to bring investment in the country,” he added.
He also gave examples of China, saying that China improved its system and then the overseas Chinese returned and they invested money in their country.
“We will put Pakistanis on export on short term plan if we come into power,” said Khan, explaining the economic roadmap.
His government, he said, focused on Information Technology and took its export to 70 per cent during their tenure, he said, adding that they would give a complete tourism plan if they came into the power.
The PTI chairman also mentioned that they would bring dollars to Pakistan by using natural resources and minerals, adding that they also discussed agriculture plan with China during their government.
“We will introduce reforms and restructuring programmes for Railways and PIA,” said Imran, pointing out that his government launched a health insurance scheme but unfortunately that was discontinued in many places.
He also promised to re-launch the health card scheme if they came into the power again.
Talking about other welfare programmes, Khan said that they would also provide interest free loans to the youths and would re-launch a house building programme for the working class. Sania Nishtar, he added, had a readied a programme for ration distribution and targeted subsidy.
He stated that a programme about slum areas was also being prepared.
The former PM reiterated that transparency and immediate elections were the only way to take the country out of crises.
Lashing out at the coalition government, he said that they had made a plan to keep him out of the elections.
He said that the Indian media was making fun of Pakistan while foreign analysts believed that the country was heading towards destruction.
Questioning the delay in Punjab and KPK elections, Khan said that the coalition partners were afraid of losing the polls. He urged the people not to surrender before any pressure.
The PTI government, Imran alleged, was removed under a conspiracy and a gang of criminals were imposed on the country.
He stated that it must be clear now that the peoples’ passion could not be curbed by force as his party workers and supporters reached Minar-e-Pakistan despite huge containers and barricades in their way. He claimed that over 2000 PTI workers were arrested so far by the police.
Imran Khan said he felt huge pain over shocking murder of party worker Ali Bilal known as Zille Shah, regretting that the incumbent rulers tortured and killed the special child. He said that all those involved in killing Zille Shah would be brought to justice.
He lashed out at the government for arrest the party workers, saying that Dr. Rubina was arrested when she was at her clinic while Azhar Mashwani and Hassani Niazi were also kept in abduction.
He also said that the country’s people faced all kinds of oppressions and the nation could not progress if it did not show resistance, pointing out that nation could get real freedom only if there was supremacy of law.
He regretted that the democratic leaders did not uphold rule of law during the country’s historic while Constitution and law were abolished during the martial law.
Imran said that he was booked in 143 cases under several charges including terrorism and blasphemy. Criticizing PPP and its leadership, the PTI Chief said that Sindhi people were helpless as Zardari mafia was imposed on them.
The PDM, he said, took out three long marches during PTI’s tenure but no hurdle was created in their way, adding that the PTI took permission for a rally on March 8 but the police started baton-charge and tear gas shelling.
“I called off the rally because I did not want bloodshed while they [the authorities] wanted to create chaos,” he added.
He went on to say that the ECP postponed the Punjab elections from April 30 to Oct 8 despite that they could not do so, asking them that under which law did they change the election date.
The PTI Chief asked the ECP about the money in elections in October, pointing out that the country was heading towards default.
He said that they lied that the IMF wanted elections to be postponed as they categorically rejected such claims.
Ahead of the PTI power show at Minar-e-Pakistan, the local administration placed containers on the roads leading to it. The commuters also faced huge problems, through, the PTI supporters crossed all the barriers and reached the venue.
The reports suggested that the containers were placed at Thokhar Niazi Baig, at road leading from Kalima Chowk to Muslim Town bridge, the road leading from Data Darbar to Minar-e-Pakistan, River Ravi bridge and many other places.
Lower Mall, Shahdra from Niazi Chowk, Old vegetable market [Badami bagh] and the area of Railways Station were blocked with heavy containers.
The administration also took steps to create hurdles in the way of the PTI workers and supporters coming from other cities and areas of Punjab to take part in the rally.
