PML-N, PPP connived to loot country: Imran

KOHAT: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Saturday alleged that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) connived to loot the country’s wealth.

The PTI chief said he would recover the looted wealth from the dishonest rulers and spend it on the welfare of the poor.

Addressing a public gathering here, he said that a handful of people had taken the entire nation hostage. “We will break the status quo,” he vowed, hinting at bringing stringent laws to fight corruption. He said that the National Accountability Bureau would be strengthened if the PTI was voted to power. About the verdict of the accountability court in the Avenfield property reference, he said it had been proven that the Sharif family had committed corruption. He said the PML-N and PPP took turns to rule the country. He added the country was in deep debt due to the flawed economic policies and corruption of the past rulers. Promising to expand the tax net, Imran said that he would introduce reforms to correct the revenue system. He believed that Pakistanis paid Zakat, but they didn’t pay tax as the people had lost faith in the system. The PTI leader said reforms would be introduced to revamp the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). He said the recent monsoon rain belied the claims that Lahore had been turned into Paris. Urging the gathering to vote for ideology, Imran said personality cult should be done away with. He said that he would not allow his party lawmakers to indulge in corruption if voted to power. “The corrupt will ultimately end up behind bars,” he cautioned.

The PTI chief said Pakistan would not need borrowing loans if corrective steps were taken. He added that austerity measures would be adopted to do away with luxurious lifestyle to put the country on the path to development and prosperity. He said that technical colleges would be set up across the country to equip the youth with skills. “The youth is an asset to us,” he remarked. Mumtaz Alvi adds from Islamabad: Imran Khan said Islamic principles will have to be followed to pull Pakistan out of the mess.

Speaking to an Ulema and Mashaikh conference here, Imran said a nation would witness downfall, if its people stopped differentiating between what was right and what was wrong. He said that when the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) established the first ever welfare state of Madina, he did not build castles for himself or keep guards despite having control over the entire Arab. “On the basis of this state, the Muslims remained a great global power for 700 years and the Caliphs also led simple life and spent on people but the Muslims’ downfall began when the rulers became rich and the poor became poorer,” he noted

Imran said that one would be foolish and cheap who would attain power and then start believing that he would never come down. He then referred to the downfall of once strong Muslims rulers, including Saddam Hussain, Col Qaddafi and Hosni Mubarak and added that Shah of Iran would have never thought of facing downfall with so much power and army but it took three months to send him packing.

“To pull Pakistan out of the mess, firstly we shall have to follow the principles of the State of Madina and ensure rule of law, meaning thereby, the powerful and the weak are equal before the law,” he maintained.

He sought the Ulema and Mashaikh help in uniting the people of Pakistan, as through unity, Pakistan could move forward. The Ulema, earlier assured support to him.

Upon arrival, he was received by Peer Nizamuddin Jami. Pir of Golra Sharif said that Nawaz had once promised to him to enforce Nizam-e-Mustafa, which he did not. He assured support to Imran.

Imran said that none would be a Muslim, unless he had faith in the Finality of the Prophethood and demanded making public the Raja Zafarul report on the bid to change the oath on Finality of the Prophethood. He added people must know, whom the rulers wanted to please by amending the oath.