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Imran urges PML-N to join movement; demo in Islamabad on 6th
Monday, November 02, 2009
By Our Correspondent
LAHORE
PAKISTAN Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has announced that the party will launch a movement against the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) and press for early polls in the country.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, the PTI leader invited the PML-N to join the movement against the NRO.
Imran said conditions were worsening and the poor had received no relief. The present government was “continuation of the Musharraf rule”, he added.
Criticizing Pervez Musharraf, Imran said a ‘timid commando’ pushed the country towards chaos and termed the so-called war against terror as the country’s own fight. He said rulers had put the federation at stake in order to please the US administration.
Imran regretted that police arrested a nine-year-old boy in Karachi for stealing bread at a time when people involved in murders and corruption cases were ruling the federation. He said rulers had benefited from the NRO because of Richard Boucher and John Negroponte.
Imran said that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had rightly said that Pakistan can reject the aid under the Kerry-Lugar Law. He said no body in Pakistan had asked Hillary for withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, however, had requested the US administration not to cut troops in Afghanistan, he said. “We all must know that peace and stability in Pakistan couldn’t be ensured as long as NATO troops were in Afghanistan,” he said.
Imran reiterated that there was no militancy in Pakistan before 2004 and it was the result of wrong policies adopted by Musharraf.
About the PTI’s plan to launch a movement against NRO, he said the PTI would hold a demonstration at Abpara in Islamabad on November 6. The party would also hold demonstrations in Lahore and other cities. He welcomed the statement of PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif about the NRO adding the PML-N and other political parties should join hands with the PTI. He said majority of PPP parliamentarians weren’t willing to vote for NRO and support the Kerry-Lugar Law. He urged PPP leaders not to become a part of the effort to pass the NRO, saying this would tarnish the image of Bhutto’s party in the history. He said that no party should stage a walkout or abstain from voting against the NRO and instead reject this ordinance.
About mid-term polls, Imran said elections were a part of democratic process adding ‘early polls’ could be a good option.
He said it was high time for the nation to decide whether Pakistan belonged to those who had plundered national wealth.
Imran condemned curbs on media, saying judiciary and media would be remembered in the history for their brave role and that curbs on media were unacceptable. He said only the corrupt wanted curbs on media but “the nation wouldn’t let this conspiracy succeed”.
PTI Information Secretary Omer Cheema extended support to media and rejected any rule to impose restrictions on media.
Javed Iqbal and Asif Khan were also present on the occasion.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
