PTI not to allow division of Karachi: Imran

KARACHI: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said on Saturday that his party will not allow anyone to divide Karachi on a linguistic basis.
He was addressing a joint rally organised by the PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in connection with the local bodies elections in Karachi, scheduled to be held on December 5, in which both parties have reached an understanding to ‘root out their opponent’ the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
Imran said December 5 will be the day of change as people had come on the roads to hold the corrupt mafias accountable. He said the PTI had started its journey to bring about a change in the city, adding that real change would take place after the local bodies elections when people would be able to take decisions about the development of their areas on their own without waiting for the rulers.
Imran Khan along with the JI chief Sirajul Haq arrived in the city on Saturday afternoon on the same flight and staged a rally which started from the airport passing through Sharea Faisal, Millennium Mall and NIPA and was to reach the Mazar-e-Quaid. However, the administration had put containers in their way and they were not allowed to reach their destination.
Imran Khan said preventing the party leaders from campaigning and addressing public meetings was a dictatorial step. He said nowhere in the world is a political leader barred from reaching out to his supporters. He said it is the right of parties to conduct political activities under the Constitution.
The two leaders were accorded a warm welcome by their party workers and supporters. As Section 144 was imposed in the city, nobody was allowed to hold the rally and a day before, FIRs were registered against MQM leaders for violating the by-laws.
However, the PTI leader Imran Ismail said that the PTI has sought permission from the city administration and its silence on the request meant ‘yes’ for them.
According to Commissioner Karachi Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, the administration had been informed but official permission was not secured. He added that while permission for a corner meeting can be given, a rally is not allowed in line with the code of conduct issued by the ECP.
Imran Khan accused the government of making attempts to prevent him from carrying out his election campaign.
“In no democracy is a political person, especially one not holding any public office, prevented from campaigning for his party in an election. Yet and attempt was made to prevent me from campaigning for my party even though PML-N ministers and MNAs are doing the same,” he said.
He said the military dictatorship of General Pervez Musharraf was less oppressive than the incumbent Nawaz Sharif government.
“Having opposed both, I can vouch that Musharraf’s military dictatorship was less oppressive than Nawaz’s dictatorship in the garb of democracy,” Imran said. He said that the government used the police, especially in the LB polls, adding that two FIRs were earlier registered against him for holding the election campaign and now he is ready for another FIR.
Imran said the MQM chief Altaf Hussain is facing a ‘minus-one’ threat from within his party, adding that the PTI will not allow Karachi to be divided on ethnic and linguistic lines. He said for the last 30 years, Karachiites have suffered a lot and now it’s time to bring peace and make the city beautiful and prosperous.
He promised to reform the Karachi police on the lines of the KP police so that there is no longer a need for the Rangers to remain in the city.
Sirajul Haq said on the occasion that the JI would end the politics of body bags in Karachi. “We would resist if there was a selection and not an election on December 5. Allah has awakened Karachiites and we will make Karachi as beautiful as Istanbul,” he claimed.
Imran Khan questioned why the ECP did not take action when Nawaz Sharif announced a Rs40 billion package for Gilgit-Baltistan prior to the LB polls and criticised the ‘double standards’ of the electoral body.
He linked the country’s peace to that of Karachi and said the people of the mega city have decided to change their fortunes.
INP adds: The Election Commission has vowed action against the PTI and JI for taking out the rally in Karachi.
In a statement on Saturday, the ECP said its code of conduct for the LB elections does not allow anyone to hold a rally. It said that action will be taken against the PTI and JI for the violation of the code and the Loudspeaker Act. The ECP directed all the candidates to act on the electoral code of conduct.