Movement against govt will continue till announcement of elections: Imran Khan
American slaves imposed on us, says Imran Khan
PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan said on Tuesday that while lashing out at the government said that American slaves have been imposed on us and the movement against government will continue till the announcement of elections.
Addressing an event in Peshawar on Tuesday, he lambasted the coalition government for carrying out raids in Punjab and Sindh and said that they have always staged peaceful protests.
The PTI chairman said that the raid was conducted on the house of Justice (r) Nasira Iqbal in the crackdown.
The former PM said that the people are not ready to accept imported government, adding that the PTI workers have been arrested and imprisoned, while the sanctity of the house has also been violated.
He said the government is conducting a crackdown as if they were guilty of treason, adding that his government didn’t any one from holding long march because we considered it their constitutional right to protest.
"Everyone, including the police, the neutrals and the bureaucracy, is being tested and the nation knows conspiracy and will never accept slavery," he said.
Earlier, addressing a press conference along with other PTI leaders, the PTI chairman while urging the judiciary and ‘neutrals’ to “do the right thing” said that the nation s eyes are on "neutrals".
Imran Khan said, “There is no space for being neutral right now because either you are standing with the right or you stand with wrong, adding that those who call neutral I want to remind you, you have taken oath for country’s stability and if this country goes towards destruction you will also be responsible.”
The former PM said that he will carry on with the party’s ‘Azadi March’ despite the government’s decision to stop the long march towards Islamabad.he will lead the biggest caravan in Pakistan’s history tomorrow (Wednesday).
Imran said that this was a "defining moment for the country" which would decide the kind of Pakistan people want to live in.
He said that there was no difference between the "fascist government" and the military dictators of the past as both used the same tactics.
Former prime minister said that during the PTI government’s tenure, the then opposition was allowed to stage protests and long marches several times.
"They marched several times with the purpose of ousting the government but did we resort to these methods?"
PTI Chairman criticized the government for conducting late-night raids in Lahore and questioned why the government was suddenly resorting to such tactics, calling on them to highlight any instance in the past where he had ever broken the law.
The PTI chairman said that the country was looking towards the judiciary, telling them that this was their "trial". "The country is going to look at your decisions," he said.
He went on to say that the PTI had a right to stage a protest against the "imported conspiracy".
Addressing the judiciary, he asked whether it would allow such harassment and raids to take place. "If you allow this, then the credibility of the judiciary will cease to exist. It would mean that there is no democracy in Pakistan."
In case of chaos and destruction in the country, ‘neutrals’ will also be responsible, Imran Khan was quoted as saying.
Govt bans long march, cracks down on supporters
The coalition government has also banned ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan from holding a massive, planned long march in Islamabad and cracked down on his supporters in overnight raids across the country, arresting hundreds.
The ban came hours after a policeman was killed during one of the raids, when a supporter of the former premier opened fire after officers entered his home in the city of Lahore.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah warned Khan that he would “not be allowed to disrupt peace in Islamabad” and would be arrested if needed, should the rally go ahead. Sanaullah earlier in the day accused Khan of seeking to create a civil war-like situation.
Sanaullah, the interior minister, said the decision to ban the rally was taken after Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf party failed to assure the administration in writing that the rally would be peaceful.