LAHORE: Vowing to eradicating poverty and collect tax from elite of the country, PTI Chairman Imran Khan announced the party would follow the Chinese model of progress after winning the next general elections.
Addressing the party membership convention on Thursday organised by the Insaf Student Organisation at the Aiwan-e-Iqbal, the PTI chief said his top priority would be to turn Pakistan into the land as envisaged by Allama Iqbal and Quaid-i-Azam.
Announcing the three-point agenda of the PTI, he said it would be to eradicate poverty from the country, collect tax from the rich and ensure social and judicial justice to the people. Imran on the occasion also announced launching of the PTI membership card and urged stalwarts to gear up for the intra-party polls, which would be held soon after the general elections and in which only the cardholders could cast their votes.
The convention was also addressed by PTI’s Secretary General Jahangir Tareen, Central Secretary Information Shafqat Mehmood, president Central Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan, opposition leader in the Punjab Assembly Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and others.
Imran stated that the PTI would be the first party which would strive to eradicate poverty from country on the pattern adopted by China. He said China alleviated poverty and saved around 70 million people in 30 years and the PTI would also work on similar lines to achieve its goal. He further said the major reason behind masses problems was that a small segment of society was enjoying all the perks and privileges, calling the shots, evading taxes and protecting itself from accountability. He stated every person should be given the right to flourish and make progress but under the current situation in the country, no poor person can become rich.
Criticising the former premier Nawaz Sharif, Imran said a billionaire like him paid only Rs5000 as tax whereas nobody knew the amount of taxes paid by Asif Ali Zardari on his income. He said every citizen came under a debt of around Rs120,000 per head in the era of Zardari and Nawaz as compared to past when debt per head was Rs35,000, following which a specific class of society got richer and rest of the population had been getting poorer day by day.
He stated the situation in the government-run hospitals was also deplorable where people were not treated well and the health institutions were facing shortage of proper facilities. He also expressed dissatisfaction over the situation of schools and stated after coming to power, PTI would improve the education system and generate employment opportunities for people.
He announced that PTI would start the first phase of its membership drive from Lahore and later start it at Punjab level. He said in every city, at least 13 aspirants had come forward for the party ticket for one seat but the party would include its workers in the consultation process through the membership card which could keep them connected with the leadership. He also stated that PTI was ready to contest the general elections with fervour and would give tough time to the PML-N.