After coming to know about ‘conspiracy’, told ‘neutrals’ it’s not time to stay ‘neutral’: Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan Thursday said after coming to know about what he considers a foreign conspiracy against his government, he told the ‘neutrals’ that it was not the time to stay ‘neutral’.

Speaking at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Bar function here, he said he had explained to the ‘neutrals’ to play their role to stop the conspiracy from taking place. He sent Shaukat Tarin to explain to them that it was not the time to stay neutral, or it would have dangerous implications for the country’s economy. Imran emphasised that all institutions should play their role to protect the rule of law and democracy, which were in danger at the moment.

The former premier feared that Pakistan was fast heading towards the Sri Lanka-like crisis situation. He claimed that the current ruling alliance had no plan to deal with the situation and the market did not trust them, while the outsiders were not ready to give them financial support after they came to know they had been imposed on the country and had no public support. He warned that if the government kept going that way, Pakistan would be weakened to such an extent that when a bailout package would be given to it, they would impose conditions which would compromise the country’s sovereignty and independence.

The PTI chairman alleged that crooked and corrupt imported government had plunged the country into a severe economic crisis, and claimed that the PTI government had put the country on the path to development and the economy was booming during his government’s time. But the inept and compromised government reversed the PTI government’s hard-earned gains within a few months, he regretted. “Therefore, I will soon give a call for a powerful show,” he said and urged the lawyers to ensure their participation because it was not politics but jihad.

Coming down hard on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he said that his performance had been exposed in a short span of time, because his performance as the chief minister Punjab was just on papers in the form of advertisements.

Imran said the ‘imported government’ did not have any plan and roadmap to salvage the sinking economy, adding that they were facing a trust-deficit, as no country was ready to trust the imposed government. However, he said that they did not worry about the crippling economy and back-breaking inflation because public relief was not in their priority list; they were merely interested in clearing their names from corruption cases and appointing officials of their choice to rig the next elections.

The PTI chairman said that they had the example of former Soviet Union, which did not disintegrate because its military was weak, but it broke apart when its economy collapsed. Therefore, he reiterated that the only solution to save the country from sinking into a quagmire was holding free and fair elections.

Imran Khan alleged that the coalition government did not bother about hardship and miseries of people, which was evident from the alarming increase in petroleum products prices in less than a month that would increase the prices of daily-use items, making the life of people hell. He called upon people from across Pakistan to come out of their houses on Sunday late in the evening, at 9pm, and stage strong demonstrations against inflation and the unprecedented increase in petrol prices in their cities and towns.

Imran reiterated his government was ousted through a US-backed conspiracy and it was the right time to take a stand; otherwise, no prime minister would be able to formulate an independent foreign policy, as he would be scared to face the US threat.

The PTI chairman said that he was standing against the slavery; otherwise, it was also very convenient for him to agree not to visit Russia, but he rejected the US pressure and visited Moscow for the country’s benefit. He made it clear that the world respected those leaders who took a stand for their national interests, as shoe-polishers would be looked down upon.

“If our allied parties and turncoats would have left us during the Covid-19 pandemic, no one would have raised fingers at them because it was the most difficult time. “However, they left the PTI government all of a sudden when the country was on the right path; that was why, it was a conspiracy”.

He invited the lawyers community to join the PTI’s ‘real freedom movement’, as at present Pakistan was standing at a crossroads and they must play their role to avert a Sri Lanka-like situation in the country.