HYDERABAD/KARACHI: The Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, on Wednesday said the PTI is ready to defeat the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) at its stronghold during the forthcoming by-election and break the shackles of fear.
Talking to reporters outside the shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Imran said the people of Sindh should also reap the benefits of transfer of power to grassroot level. He also criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, saying they had come back to parliament after an assurance of formation of a judicial commission to probe the rigging in the general elections. He said the PTI will again come on the roads if the government violated the agreement.
He said police must be depoliticised in Karachi to bring peace in the mega city.Talking about poverty in Sindh, he said it seems the natural resources produced by the province are being violated and people are deprived of their share. He said the PTI has taken the lead to develop the democratic culture and demolish family politics in the country. He said Sindh needs an actual change, hence institutions should be run on merit to strengthen the political culture. He also talked about the NFC share of Sindh, saying he does not know where the amount has been spent for development. He said the peasant families are the worst victims of poverty.
Imran said he had been observing politics for the last 18 years in which the people of Sindh could not get anything in terms of development. He said only two families were enjoying political power in the country.
PTI leader Jehangir Tareen also talked about the issues of Sindh’s agriculture and fair rates of crops like sugarcane.Meanwhile, Imran Khan, who arrived in Karachi in connection with the NA-246 election campaign on Wednesday, faced an ugly situation when anoccurred at Imran Ismail’s house Wednesday night.
Similar mismanagement was also witnessed in Hyderabad when his supporters and workers
showed in different attitude. This was the second time that Imran’s press conference was interrupted at his candidate Ismail’s residence.
Earlier, a brief altercation with the media also happened when Imran had to address public gathering near mausoleum of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai.Imran’s speech was stopped for a while after journalists protested against the behaviour of the PTI officer bearer, who barred certain media persons from entering the residence of Imran Ismail, where the press conference was to be held.
The press conference was announced at 9:00pm but it started abruptly half an hour before time.Media persons asked Imran to apologise over the behaviour of his party members, to which he humbly said sorry.
As soon as he arrived in the city, he started his press conference by saying “I am here to break the shackles of fear” and would visit the Jinnah ground today (Thursday), adding that his parents too migrated to Pakistan but they never used the word Muhajir. However, he claimed that he is a half Muhajir.
He said he is prepared for all sorts of welcome, as he had heard that eggs and tomatoes are ready to welcome him. He said that NA-246 election will be historic due to its significance.
Imran reiterated his earlier stance that if any of his workers are attacked, the PTI team is ready to file case in London against Altaf Hussain.
He congratulated people of Pakistan for formation of the judicial Commission, especially those who participated in the dharna for 126 days.To a question, he said the PTI is in contact with the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) to pull back its candidate from the by-poll.
He said both the PTI and MQM want to get rid of feudalism and dynastic politics, but obviously gun culture is not encouraged. “Naya Pakistan will be created when dynastic politics come to an end,” he said.Regarding Pakistan’s involvement in Yemen, he said Pakistan should not send troops to fight someone else’s war.