After ‘number’ change & long march failure, Imran calling Supreme Court: Maryam Nawaz

BAHAWALPUR: Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) Vice President Maryam Nawaz Saturday said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was calling the judiciary for help after failure of his long march and change of the 'number' he used to call for help. She requested the apex court to remain "impartial" and maintain distance from Imran Khan's politics.

Speaking at a public gathering here, she said: "Imran Khan, the revolution that you want to bring through the Supreme Court, the SC itself, along with the people of Pakistan, will foil it."

Maryam said Khan first drags institutions into politics and then utters abusive words for them. "Therefore, with respect, I want to ask the Supreme Court to maintain distance from the politics of this anarchist (Khan) as the Supreme Court is an institution of Pakistan and it should remain impartial," she added.

She said Khan's long march had failed, and this time, he sought help from the apex court. "Is it the court's job to save Imran Khan from his failures?" asked Maryam. She said Imran thinks the courts were bound to help him wherever he fails.

The PMLN leader said that Pakistan faces no danger from foreign powers but from Imran Khan. "Pakistan is at risk from the fitna and fasad, Imran Khan," she added.

The PMLN vice president said that the coalition government had to increase the prices of petroleum products because of the agreement between Khan and International Monetary Fund (IMF). "Shehbaz Sharif announced the biggest relief package of Rs28 billion for the nation in the history of Pakistan," said Maryam, adding the PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz would steer the country out of crisis within a few months.

"Khan started begging Nawaz Sharif two days before the march to announce a date for the elections when he saw that his march was failing and said he would call off the march in return," claimed the PMLN leader. She said that the ex-PM could not even gather 25,000 people from all over the country, and then he claimed that preparations were not done. "You used all the resources of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and gave money to your leaders to gather people for the march," she added. "You failed to prepare for the march, but you were prepared to set fire and attack the police?"

The PMLN vice president also said that ever since Khan was ousted, he started worrying about inflation. "Khan said he was about to strike a deal with Russia to get oil at cheaper rates. Why did the agreement not take place?" she asked. "Were you waiting for Farah Gogi's signature on the agreement?" asked Maryam, adding that "when the time came for Gogi to sign, she escaped from Pakistan to Dubai." The second long march also failed badly.

Maryam said Imran Khan had given nothing to the country, except poverty, inflation and inappropriate conduct. She challenged Imran Khan to point out his single contribution to the country.

Earlier, addressing the gathering, Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz said that if Imran Khan tried to riot again after six days, “we will send him to jail”. He said that the constitutional crisis had been haunting Punjab for two months now. The Punjab CM warned Imran Khan of the consequences if he tried to create a chaotic situation in the country again. "Now the 'touch of jail' is left in the story, you will be sent to jail." He said the PTI chief would have to go to jail if he tried to spread chaos again.

He welcomed the crowd at the rally and said that on the occasion of Youm-e-Takbir, people who came out despite the intense heat had proved themselves to be true soldiers of the PMLN. He added that during the PTI’s protest in Islamabad, Qasim Suri asked Imran Khan to give an Islamic touch to his speech. The PMLN leader explained that this exposed the real face of Imran Khan and his party, as they had been using the religion card to fulfill their political agenda.

While pointing out the problems in the area, Hamza said that people in Bahawalpur had been deprived of Speedo Bus for four years. Free net service was snatched from the people of Bahawalpur for three years. He mentioned that 8,000 people are travelling on Speedo Bus now. "Now it will be 24 Speedo buses arriving for the people here, not 12," he said.

The Punjab CM added that there was a problem of water shortage in Cholistan, saying he was aware of the situation and said animals died due to lack of water there. He blamed Imran Khan and his long march for the tragedy that has affected the lives of the martyred constable’s children and deprived them of their father.