Can talk with TTP and Baloch, Sindhi nationalists but not with thieves: Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD: PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan Thursday said he could talk to the banned terrorist outfit TTP and Baloch and Sindhi nationalists but the day “you strike a deal with thieves, the entire society comes crashing down.” He expressed these views while addressing the main thanksgiving function on a video link at the F-9 Park here.

“I ask you if someone commits a robbery at your home, then why don’t you sit and talk to him. You can’t do it because if you talk to him, then all those around you will start committing robberies. If you don’t bring robbers to justice, then the entire society will crumble,” he said.

Imran reiterated his demand for immediate free, fair and transparent general elections, warning that if the polls were not transparent, then the ongoing political and economic crisis would deepen and anarchy will increase. Imran said PTI was the largest political party of the country and it did not trust the incumbent Election Commission. “Such an Election Commission should be constituted that no political party should have an issue with,” he maintained.

“I myself announced the election by dislodging my government. I thought it was better to topple the government instead of someone else conspiring to do so. Let the people decide; if the elections were held at that time, Pakistan would not have faced this crisis. Even today, I say the the only solution to the crisis are transparent elections,” he emphasised.

At the start of his speech, Imran congratulated the nation and noted that every tactic of defeating the PTI was employed but failed. “The way people came out in the by-election proved that we are becoming a nation and I see them becoming a nation for the first time,” he noted.

Imran said through the regime change, those who had been committing corruption for 30 years and insulted the nation, considered people sheep and understood they would tolerate silently anyone imposed on them. “The living nation stood, thus failing these people.”

“After the removal of our government, a programme was made to suppress our party. So, on 25th May, we called for a peaceful protest against the external conspiracy and imported team, but on 25th May, the brutality that was committed against women and children is still in front of the eyes,” he said. Imran said in the by-elections, all efforts were made to defeat the PTI with the collusion of Election Commission.

“The way the living nation contested, I salute you. The living nation stood in the by-election, the living nation appeared, failing these people,” he added. He again said all economic indicators during the PTI government were positive.

“The economy was growing at 6%; after 17 years, Pakistan’s economy was growing like this. Agriculture was growing at 4.4%, IT exports increased by 75%, Pakistan was developing so much that our government’s legs were pulled.”

Imran said the PTI government was taking Pakistan to become a welfare state for the first time. “We introduced health cards, the world appreciated our policy, the World Bank appreciated the Ehsaas programme, provided loans to farmers without interest, introduced housing programme, international organisations reported that the Ehsaas Program is best for poverty alleviation.” He wondered why the conspiracy was allowed when the country was going well. “I ask the forces, which could prevent the conspiracy, why it was allowed? We were told how economic stability would be if there was political instability”.

Citing the Supreme Court decision, Imran said, “Our government has been formed in Punjab. Health cards, ration programmes and awareness programmes in the province are being restored, while ration programme will make oil, ghee, sugar etc. available at a lower price.”

“They (rivals), he noted, stopped health cards, Ehsaas programs, 80,000 people were sacrificed on the US threat during the war on terrorism, and $100 billion was lost in the fight against terrorism. Not speaking out of fear of superpowers is shirk; we disgraced ourselves by doing so. We have never said that relations with the United States should be disrupted. If slavery is to be done, it is better to die; we have to remain a self-sufficient nation. Our elders did not make sacrifices to become beggars.

“We have to stand on our own feet and raise money from Pakistanis abroad so that we do not have to go and stretch out our hands in front of anyone else. We have to bring the mafia under the law. Allah has blessed us with numerous blessings. The external conspiracy was defeated by all of you as a nation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi and former federal minister Moonis Elahi met Imran Khan at Bani Gala on Wednesday. Imran congratulated Pervaiz Elahi on assuming the office of the chief minister.

Ch Pervaiz Elahi thanked Imran Khan for his trust. The prevailing political situation was discussed in detail during the meeting. Dr Shahbaz Gill and senior PTI leaders were also present.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan Wednesday decided to launch an aggressive strategy against the federal government after having won the slot of the chief minister in Punjab.

To this effect, he presided over a meeting of the party’s political committee hours after the Supreme Court bench rejected the ruling of the Punjab Assembly deputy speaker on 10 PML-Q MPAs. The meeting took stock of the current national scene with particular reference to its options against the federal government and decided that an aggressive strategy against the federal government would be launched.

It was learnt that Imran Khan’s next target after Punjab will now be the federal government. Imran issued important instructions to the party leaders in this regard and took suggestions from the leaders on various issues.