Imran Khan addressed his celebration supporters in Lahore.
Lahore/Islamabad:
Imran Khan on Friday stated he’ll stay “silent” as he doesn’t need to “damage” the nation and its establishments, a day after the ISI chief stated the previous prime minister made a “lucrative offer” to Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in return for backing his authorities throughout the political turmoil in March this 12 months.
Addressing his celebration supporters at Lahore’s well-known Liberty Chowk after launching his protest march in direction of Islamabad demanding early elections, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief stated his march just isn’t for politics or private curiosity however to realize actual freedom and make sure that all choices have been made in Pakistan and never in London or Washington.
“My only aim is to free my nation and turn Pakistan into a free country,” Khan, standing atop a container, stated.
Khan rejected ISI chief Lt Gen Nadeem Ahmed Anjum’s allegations in an unprecedented press convention on Thursday, saying it was one-sided and he solely “talked about Iman Khan” and by no means uttered a phrase towards the “thieves” within the authorities.
“DG ISI, listen carefully, the things I know, I am staying silent for my institutions and the country. I don’t want to damage my country,” the PTI chief stated as the group cheered.
“Our criticism is for constructive purposes and for your improvement. I can say more but will not say as it will hurt the institution,” he stated.
Lt Gen Anjum on Thursday stated that Army chief Gen Bajwa was given a “lucrative offer” by the then authorities amidst the political turmoil in March. Gen. Bajwa is scheduled to retire subsequent month after a 3-year extension.
The unprecedented press convention by the spy chief got here because the nation was grappling with completely different variations concerning the killing of journalist Arshad Sharif in Kenya and oblique allegations towards the armed forces. Sharif was shot lifeless at a police checkpoint at an hour’s distance from Nairobi on Sunday night time, making a storm within the nation.
The Kenyan police later stated it was a case of “mistaken identity” throughout a search for the same automotive concerned in a toddler abduction case.
Addressing his supporters, Khan stated that, not like Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif, he was “not a runaway that would either sit quietly here or criticise the military in London”.
“I am not going to leave this country. I will live and die in this country,” added the PTI chief.
“If the handlers and facilitators of the thieves of this imported government think that they (government) should be accepted by us, then listen, this nation will give every sacrifice but will never accept these thieves,” he stated.
Khan additionally promised that the march could be peaceable. “Our march will be according to the law, we will not break any rule. We will not enter the (high security) Red Zone and will only go to the areas which have been designated by the Supreme Court for protests,” he stated.
He additionally alleged that the Supreme Court failed to guard his supporters’ constitutional proper throughout the protest on May 25 however hoped that “this time our rights will be protected”.
Khan, 70, plans to reach in Islamabad on November 4 and has sought formal permission from the federal government to permit his celebration to carry a protest rally. His celebration has billed the protest as a ‘Haqiqi Azadi March’ or a protest for precise freedom of the nation.
It just isn’t clear if he would return after the rally or remodel it right into a sit-in on the sample of his 2014 protest when a 126-day sit-in was staged by his followers in entrance of the parliament constructing.
The authorities rejected the march and Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb stated that the nation had refused to be subservient to a “foreign-funded” instigator and had rejected the “bloody march”.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah throughout a press convention flanked by officers of the Federal Investigation Agency in Islamabad, stated that Khan tried to “threaten” the federal government and establishments to “get a date for elections” however failed on this regard.
The minister stated that after the entire PTI chief’s ways failed, he has now resorted to holding an extended march.
“He made many speeches and used the word ‘neutral’. But when all this failed, he had no option left but to try something else,” Sanaullah stated.
He warned that “strict action will be taken if they attempt to break the law and create a law and order situation in the capital.” Sanaullah added that if PTI stood by its commitment to stay within the places permitted by the Supreme Court, no one would stop them from exercising its democratic right.
Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman has alleged that Khan considers himself to be “above the law and Constitution” as she accused the PTI chief of feeding folks lies.
Rehman stated that Imran was a “fascist” who thought of himself to be the “king”. “This is why he leads people towards violence,” she added.
PTI secretary basic Asad Umar earlier instructed the media in Lahore that the protest could be peaceable. He stated that the celebration determined to dedicate the march to killed journalist Sharif.
The nation was grappling with completely different variations concerning the killing of journalist Sharif in Kenya and oblique allegations towards the armed forces.
Former data minister Fawad Chaudhry stated that the PTI’s lengthy march solely had one agenda — contemporary elections.
The PTI chief instructed Dawn News that the folks of Pakistan needed new elections to be held. “People have come out in hundreds and thousands. This is our struggle for real freedom,” he stated.
He instructed the “handlers” of the incumbent authorities that they have been dealing with a “flood of people” towards which none might stand.
“Their handlers, listen carefully. This is a flood of people and none can stand against it,” he stated whereas addressing the protesters as his march reached Ichhra in Lahore.
During a brief pitstop in Lahore’s Ichhra, Khan delivered one other fiery speech, this time focusing on the federal government.
“They steal money, go abroad, come back after receiving an NRO and then return [to power] again,” Khan stated from atop his container as Shah Mahmood Qureshi stood behind him.
“What do they think of us? That we are bher bakriyan (fools)? Those who have stolen billions from our country and live in palaces in London are made prime minister,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has directed tv channels to not dwell telecast programmes and different content material, significantly whereas masking PTI leaders’ speeches and the lengthy march.
The Pemra stated whereas monitoring Friday’s transmission, it was noticed throughout a speech “statements against state institutions were aired live” in violation of the code of conduct and court docket orders.
It directed tv channels to chorus from “airing content material that [is] tantamount to malign/ shame state establishments (advertently or inadvertently) and to sensitise their editorial boards, administrators (new and programming), bureaus and subject reporters to adjust to these directives.
Legal motion, resulting in suspensions and revocation of licences, could be initiated in case of non-compliance, Pemra warned.
Khan has been demanding early elections and threatening a protest march in direction of Islamabad to drive his calls for if the federal government failed to provide a date for elections. The time period of the National Assembly will finish in August 2023 and contemporary elections must be held inside 60 days.
Khan, who was ousted from energy in April after dropping a no-confidence vote in his management, has talked a few ‘risk letter’ from the US and claimed that it was a part of a international conspiracy to take away him as he was not acceptable for following an impartial international coverage. The US has bluntly rejected the allegations.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
