Imran hints at claiming ‘major’ wicket soon

LAHORE: Referring to joining of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) by various leaders and workers from other political parties, Chairman Imran Khan Tuesday claimed that “a big wicket is going to fall soon”.

He was talking to the media here on Tuesday. When a reporter asked him if Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was joining his party, he said he would not divulge the name at this point in time.

About his public meeting in Lahore on Sunday, April 29, the PTI chief said it would prove to be the “tsunami plus” this time.

Meanwhile, Dr Azeemuddin Lakhvi, former ticket-holder of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) from Kasur, and the son of former MNA Moeenuddin Lakhvi, called on Imran Khan and announced joining the PTI.

Malik Usman Channar, a PML-N figure from Bahawalpur, and Col (retd) Hashim from Kasur also announced joining the PTI on the occasion. Dr Azeemuddin Lakhvi has been contesting elections on the PML-Q ticket from Kasur. In 2008, he lost the polls with very little margin against the ruling party candidate amid allegations of rigging.

Imran Khan welcomed Dr Azeemuddin and Col (retd) Hashim in the party folds. According to the party sources, Imran Khan cut short his visit to the Walled City on Tuesday due to security reasons. He returned to Islamabad after visiting the shrine of Hazrat Ali Hajveri (RA), commonly known as Data Ganj Bakhsh.

During his visit to the shrine, Imran was flanked by PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Senator Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, President Central Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan and others. Imran offered Fateha and laid wreath on the grave of the saint.

Also, while addressing a gathering at Shaukat Khanum Hospital, the PTI chairman said that some people’s sole purpose of life was to accumulate wealth and their life was just similar to that of an animal. He said that his mother’s death due to cancer had been the major reason behind his struggle for constructing a hospital for the cancer patients.