‘PM’s protocol irks Imran’

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, who is expected to become the country’s next prime minister, expressed his displeasure over official protocol given to him while travelling from Banigala to a private hotel here on Monday.

The PTI chief remarked, “I was given official protocol [while coming here today] — the country cannot be run like this." Following Imran's directions, PTI leader Naeemul Haque sent back some vehicles of Rangers and FC. “When Khan sahab was leaving his house today, he found out that the government had sent for him the protocol which is given to prime ministers. It included many vehicles of security agencies, along with cars of Rangers and FC. We stopped the Rangers and FC cars,” he shared. Khan sahab also said that practice of government stepping up the route for the prime minister should be stopped. "Khan sahab doesn't want to cause much trouble to people of the country," Haque added. Naeemul Haque further remarked that Imran has always decried the VIP culture. "Despite the security threats to his life, Imran wants the least number of vehicles in his official squad. We had only requested for four vehicles from police but he was given the protocol of the PM." Interestingly, while Imran was returning to Banigala, a jammer vehicle was included in the protocol which was not there while he had reached the hotel. Imran had arrived with a 10-vehicle protocol to the hotel. However, when he left there were seven cars, including the jammer vehicle.