Imran Khan visits Karachi to join protesting PIA employees
A protest rally will be held in Karachi's Star Gate area today.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has arrived in Karachi today (Saturday) to express solidarity with the protesting employees of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Dunya News reported.
A protest rally has been organized in Karachi’s Star Gate area where Imran Khan will join the protestors.
Talking to media before his departure, Khan said that he will present a charter of demand in Karachi today and the next strategy will be announced there.
"If they want to collect taxes, they should target the rich and serve the masses in a positive way," he said.
He said 98% tax on diesel and 68% tax on gas is unjustified.
Earlier talking in Dunya News program “Dunya Kamran Khan Kay Sath”, Imran Khan said that today’s protest is against bad governance and unjustified taxes.
He clarified that standing together on a single-point agenda doesn’t mean that his party has made any alliance with the Pakistan People Party (PPP).
The PTI chief refused to stage any sit-in.
Earlier, speaking to protestors at Islamabad airport, Imran Khan pledged full support for those protesting against the “deceptive, divisive and dishonest privatisation bid of PIA as the government comes under increasing pressure due to the promises it has made to the IMF.”
He said that Asad Umar had presented the government with a proper road map as to how to deal with the PIA issue but there was no response from their side.
He said that those protesting were right in their demand to be taken into the loop regarding proceedings; they had given service, and they should be the priority, not cronies looking to benefit from a privatisation bid.
Khan said that PTI would be kicking off a series of protests across the country to raise its voice for the rights of the common man who continues to be crushed by the government’s tax and privatisation policies.
“Having raised our voice on every forum including the assembly floor but having it fall on deaf ears continuously left PTI with no choice but to head towards protests as this government hollows out the economy with its misplaced priorities despite so called experience,” he said.
All of PIA foreign and domestic flights were suspended Friday with thousands of passengers, including Pakistani domestic workers trying to fly to the Middle East, stranded at Karachi‘s international airport and other key hubs.
Earlier this week, two protesting airline employees were shot dead and several more wounded at Karachi‘s international airport when clashes broke out between security forces and staff, though authorities denied opening fire.
The strike continues despite Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif‘s warning the demonstration was illegal and those taking part could face up to a year in prison under a law that restricts union activity in state-administered sectors.
In December, the government announced it would complete the partial sale of the carrier by July, following years of crushing losses and mismanagement that have battered the airline‘s reputation.
