We won’t be peaceful on streets next time: Imran

Says his fight is with godfather; the man who offered Rs10 bn in the Panama Leaks case resides in Lahore

KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has said that he is fighting a mafia and a godfather, alluding to Justice Asif Saeed Khosa's reference to the famous novel The Godfather in his dissenting note in the Panama Papers case verdict.

"The godfather has been handed over to the Joint Investigation Team (JIT)," said Imran while addressing a rally at the Jail Chowrangi. The PTI held Huqooq-e-Karachi march on Sunday to protest against the day-to-day problems being faced by the city's residents. Imran Khan led the rally from Mazar-e-Quaid to Jail Chowrangi.

Addressing his supporters in the city, he asked them why they do not come out on streets to protest against lack of clean water and heaps of garbage. "Karachi used to raise voice against injustice before anyone else. Why is Karachi which stood up for the rest of the country not coming out for its own rights," asked Imran while addressing the march.

The PTI chief said that the city contributes 60pc to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Pakistan. He threatened that in future when they come out on streets, it would be a different scene.

Imran said that the Panama case verdict will prove whether the country will be rid of corruption or will be a Pakistan of Zardari and Nawaz Sharif. A liar cannot be a prime minister of the country, he said. While announcing the march he had said that the walk aims to bring to the spotlight issues such as loadshedding, water shortage and garbage disposal.

The PTI chief reached Karachi on Sunday where he also spoke to the media. He claimed that the person who offered to pay Rs10 billion to him to be silent on the Supreme Court's decision over the Panama Leaks case was ready to pay even more.

Speaking on the problems facing the Karachi residents, Khan said the issue of water scarcity was the most serious and would be the focus of today's march. "Karachi is buried in filth. Money that should be spent on development of Sindh goes to Dubai instead," the PTI chairman said.

"I had promised to the people of Karachi I would come here after getting done with the Panama case and I am here now," he remarked. A week ago, the PTI took to the streets of Karachi to mobilise and invite the public for the Huqooq-e-Karachi march. Legendary cricketer Wasim Akram is also set to join the march today.

Imran said the man who offered him Rs10 billion to become silent on the Supreme Court's decision over the Panama Leaks case resides in Lahore, saying that he will tell his name in the court if the court provides security to the person.

Talking to the media at the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, the PTI chief didn't reveal the person's identity but only the city he was staying in. "I am not naming the person because of the reason that revenge will be taken from him by the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N)," he said.

When asked whether there will be a U-turn on this statement too, Imran Khan asserted that he had never done anything of that sort in the past. "I have never taken any U-turn but Nawaz Sharif not only takes U-turns but is a liar too," said Imran Khan.

He lambasted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and said that the premier poses innocent in public but the truth is just the opposite. Nawaz Sharif continues to stick to his seat but now is the time for him to leave.

The PTI chief said that after the Panamagate verdict, the prime minister had lost moral justification to continue as the PM anymore. The PTI chief on the occasion did not forget PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari saying that Zardari's talk against corruption was the one of the signs of the Day of Judgment.

He demanded to reveal the details of Dawn Leaks to the public and said that real characters behind the Leaks were being saved. "A commission be formed to make the report public. We will comment on the case when the details of the report are revealed to the nation," he said.