Incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan on Wednesday urged his party to prepare for nationwide protests, adding the party was exercising “restraint” because the prevailing economic situation cannot sustain a long-term protest movement.
In an informal chat with journalists on the sidelines of proceedings into the £190 million corruption reference, he warned the PTI would put up stiff resistance during the upcoming budget session, adding if any economic losses occur due to a protest movement, the government would be responsible. “Shehbaz Sharif is saying that difficult decisions will have to be made; difficult decisions are made when the leader starts sacrificing himself,” he said. “[PMLN leader] Nawaz Sharif and [President Asif Ali] Zardari should bring back their billions of rupees kept abroad, the nation has sacrificed a lot, now the nation wants you to sacrifice,” he added.
“Enough is enough, we have tolerated and endured a lot,” he maintained. “Now our patience is running out. Party and nation should wait for my call to protest on the streets,” he added.
To a question, Khan said he had sought his personal appearance, as well as the live streaming, of the Supreme Court proceedings on his petition against amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance introduced by the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government. “I have a match in the Supreme Court on May 30,” he said, adding the “fear in judges” was on the decline.
The former prime minister recalled he was convicted thrice prior to the Feb. 8 general elections, adding the public had voted for the PTI despite the negative propaganda. “They were thinking that the PTI would run away from the elections. However, the returning officers of Islamabad were on the run,” he said, reiterating allegations of the PTI losing constituencies through rigging.
Khan said election tribunals should have delivered their verdicts on contested results by now, and slammed delays, while also criticizing the Punjab government for introducing a defamation law that he said was aimed at curtailing freedom of the press.
The PTI founder claimed he was aware of those responsible for the attack on Raoof Hassan, adding the incident had exposed how the system was being controlled through force and intimidation. He also praised the release of PTI President Parvez Elahi on bail.