Only one way for those who made mistake — hold polls: Imran Khan

LAHORE: Former prime minister Imran Khan Thursday said that the only remedy to the mistake, committed by 'anybody', was fresh polls in the country.

While addressing a big crowd at Minar-e-Pakistan here, he asked a real independent foreign policy movement would start now. He called upon his party activists to wait for his call for Islamabad, as the ousted premier stressed he would not accept the "imported government" at any cost.

"The actual party has just begun, our campaign will intensify [...] wait for my call. I don't want anything else except early elections," he said, calling on the "people who had committed a mistake" to hold early polls.

He sought an oath of allegiance and struggle from those attending the jalsa until the elections were held. He said no foreign conspiracy could succeed until local Mir Jafars and Mir Sadiqs become stooges in the hands of conspirators. He said the Mir Jafars had imposed thieves on the country, adding that the conspiracy against his government succeeded due to involvement of some local traitors.

Khan reiterated that if Pakistan did not have a strong army, then the country would have been split into three parts. "Had our army personnel not sacrificed their lives the way they did, our situation would have been similar to the one in Syria and Iraq."

Berating the incumbent government for ousting him from power, the ex-prime minister alleged they bought the conscience of lawmakers and "polished the boots of foreign powers".

Going into the details of why a "foreign conspiracy" was hatched against him, Khan said that the day he came into power his goal was to give an independent foreign policy to Pakistan. "An independent foreign policy means that all the decisions will be made in the interest of the people. I cannot sacrifice my countrymen for a foreign power," Khan said.

The PTI chairman alleged that the incumbent rulers were always obedient when foreign powers gave them directives but claimed he did not follow suit, so the foreign powers "did not like it".

Khan said that he also resolved to raise the issue of Islamophobia at every international forum — the United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and others — as a strong 1.5 billion Muslim populace was troubled in foreign countries.

"So the foreigners did not like that either," he said. The third thing that the foreign powers did not like was his attitude of "not taking dictation from anyone". The ousted premier claimed that a foreign power questioned his visit to Russia.

Defending his Russia visit, the PTI chairman said Moscow was ready to provide Pakistan with petroleum products at a 30pc cheaper rate as compared to international prices. "We could sell petrol and Fazlur Rehman (diesel) at 30pc cheaper rates," the ex-premier said, taking a jibe at the JUIF chief, whose party is part of the ruling coalition.

Khan said importing oil from Russia was in Pakistan's interest. He added that the United States asked India to not import oil from Russia, but New Delhi told Washington that it was in their nation's interest to purchase the commodity from Moscow.

"It means that India's foreign policy is for their countrymen's interests, but our foreign policy is to achieve another country's goals," the PTI chairman alleged. Khan said the foreign powers did not like him boosting trade with China as well.

He said the incumbent government — comprising of three stooges, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, and JUIF chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman — fully supported the foreign conspiracy.

Citing the past incidents, Imran sauid one Mir Jafar had hanged Bhutto, and General Pervez Musharraf made many compromises. Khan claimed that his government was removed from power at a time when the country was progressing, with remittances, tax collection, and development at "historic levels".

"The unemployment level was at its lowest; we were ahead of everyone. Our government also handled the coronavirus in an exemplary manner as we saved lives and the employment of our poor people," Khan said.

Imran Khan demanded open hearing of the foreign funding as well as ‘lettergate’ cases. “My life and death is for Pakistan; how can I sacrifice my own people to please foreign powers,” he asked.

The PTI chairman claimed no government official would take action against the prime minister and his family due to the offices they now hold. "I ask the courts, is it not your job to protect these officers?"

The ousted prime minister said that during his government, he tried to progress the cases against the then-Opposition, but he failed as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) were not under him.

"The NAB wasn't under me, the courts were free [...] what could we have done apart from their FIA cases? And those who had power in their hands did not consider corruption to be bad," the PTI chairman said.

Imran said he remained after thieves for three years, but those behind them did not find corruption anything objectionable. The ousted premier also rejected PM Shehbaz's proposal of forming a commission to investigate the letter-gate scandal and said the PTI would only accept the directives of the Supreme Court in this regard.

This was the first public meeting of Imran Khan in Punjab after his ouster from the office of Prime Minister through a no-confidence motion. He said Nawaz Sharif had never said anything against drone attacks, which were carried out in the country for around 400 times. He said when Osama Bin Laden was killed here, President Obama, wrote in his book that he was worried that Pakistani president Zardari would lodge serious protest over it. Citing Obama, Imran said he was surprised when President Zardari started congratulating the US president over the OBL incident. Imran said people like Nawaz and Zardari could never say 'Absolutely Not' to the foreign powers over their unjust demands.

The ex-PM said he was asked to provide military bases to the US, but he said, 'Absolutely Not'. He said that the nation had seen the courts were opened on midnight and demanded the judiciary to ensure protection of the officials who worked on the corruption cases against Shehbaz Sharif. He termed Shehbaz a liar and rejected any commission under him or his government to investigate the ‘lettergate’ scandal.

He also criticised the Chief Election Commissioner for supporting the PMLN unduly and said he must join Muslim League Nawaz now as all his decisions had favoured that party. He regretted that the ECP had always went against his party, the PTI. Imran said Pakistan was on the success track, when the government was removed. However, he said the previous governments of PPP and PMLN had been removed on corruption charges, but the PTI was not ousted on any such allegation. Imran Khan further said that Toshakhana scandal had been attributed to him by his opponents, whereas it was his government, which increased the purchase rate from 15pc to 50pc to benefit the national expenditure. He said Sharifs used to buy gifts while paying just 15pc of the price. He said he spent minimum amount on himself as the prime minister. He also said that those who had to be in jail were now in power.

Imran Khan also appealed to the nation not to ever vote for the turncoats, adding that history would never forgive those who voted for them.

Earlier, a number of leaders of the PTI and allies addressed the rally and claimed that the new government was formed as a result of an international conspiracy, hatched against Imran Khan and his government.

Ex-minister Hammad Azhar said the puppet government was telling fake stories about an empty exchequer. PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi warned the party supporters of a conspiracy being hatched in Islamabad to ban the PTI by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in the foreign funding case.

Former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said Imran Khan was removed through an international conspiracy. PTI’s Mian Aslam Iqbal thanked people of Lahore for participating in the jalsa. Murad Saeed said the PTI would fight for national honour and would never compromise on national sovereignty.

PTI leader Faisal Javed said obstacles were being created on the routes of jalsa site. Kanwal Shozab said mothers and sisters had participated in the Pakistan Movement in 1947. “Today, mothers and sisters are participating in the real freedom movement to save Pakistan,” she said.

Zartaj Gul Wazir said the court was convened on April 3 at midnight only to send Imran Khan packing. “Tell me for who courts are working late at night,” she questioned. PMLQ leader Chaudhry Moonis Elahi praised the ministers of former Punjab cabinet for foiling a big conspiracy in the Governor’s House.

Former education minister Shafqat Mehmood said the PTI was the only party which existed in the whole country. Former deputy speaker National Assembly Qasim Khan Suri said he had ruled in the National Assembly against the Supreme Court orders because he knew that a global conspiracy was being hatched to remove Imran Khan government.