Imran Khan says ‘all ready for long march’; date to be announced soon

ISLAMABAD: Following a landslide victory in Sunday’s by-polls, PTI Chairman Imran Khan has said that his party is all ready for the long march, adding that the “long march won’t be delayed past October."

Addressing a press conference, Imran Khan said, "My march will be held in October if the government does not announce the date for the next general election."

The PTI chief warned the government that multitudes of people would take to the streets responding to his call to the nation for the anti-government march.

Khan said he was still cutting the government some slack so that they could decide on it. "I am actually giving them some more time before embarking on our long march protest."

He said dialogue was out of the question with the ruling elite. "There's no negotiation with criminals. You can hold reconciliation talks with Baloch or Sindhi nationalists, but not with the felons like them," Khan added.

Khan condemned the law enforcement agencies for booking the ageing PTI leader Azam Swati in a "baseless case" and then allegedly subjecting him to grievous bodily harm in police custody. "They beat up the 75-year-old in front of his grandchildren."

Chiding the government for allegedly torturing PTI leader and former federal minister, he said that what the authorities did to him was "utterly shameless".

"Doesn't the Constitution provide the people of Pakistan the right to their self-esteem? These rulers were afraid of elections," Khan said adding, it was time to move forward.

"We will approach the international human rights bodies against these violations."

Khan demands re-election in Karachi’s Malir

Levelling rigging allegations at the Sindh government and the provincial election commissioner, the PTI chief demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) hold re-elections in Karachi’s NA-237 constituency.

“Sindh’s election commissioner was on the provincial government’s payroll. We reject the results of the Karachi-Korangi by-election and demand reelection," he added.

He alleged that the elections were held in the constituencies where PTI was weak and the ruling coalition fielded joint candidates to ensure his party's defeat — but they failed.

The former premier further added that the government did not wish to conduct the elections and used floods as an excuse. "They said that country was under floods. But in the constituencies where elections were held, floods did not have an effect."

Khan claimed that he lost Karachi's Malir by-polls to a PPP candidate — Abdul Hakeem Baloch — as it was "rigged".

Khan reiterated that he will give a call to PTI workers for the long march towards Islamabad anytime. “They are afraid that if the elections are held, they will lose,” he added.

Berating the incumbent rulers, the PTI leader said the coalition government has failed to control inflation. He maintained that they were pushing the country towards destruction.

Reiterating his demand for free and fair elections in the country, Khan said: “Political stability is possible only through elections.”

The PTI chief said that “whatever will happen, these thieves would be responsible.”

He assured that they will march towards Islamabad while staying within the constitutional limits.

‘Nawaz and Zardari’s time is over’

Referring to the alleged torture inflicted on the PTI workers by the police during the May 25 long march, Khan said they will march on the federal capital with complete preparations.

“Whatever they will do, they face failure,” Khan said without revealing his plan.

Talking about his strategy, the PTI leader said Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah would not even get a chance to enforce his plan. The county witnessed fascism in the past six months, he alleged, adding that democracy was "butchered".

“[PML-N supremo] Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari’s time is over,” the PTI chairman said, adding that they will suffer defeat in the elections.

‘We can win without umpire’s support’

Khan said that they can win elections without the support of umpires. Berating the Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, the PTI chair said: “I have not seen a more dishonest election commissioner than Sikandar Sultan Raja in this country.”

“Raja did not allow electronic voting machines (EVM),” he said, adding that If there were EVMs, they could not rig the elections.

‘I do not play against weak teams’

Recalling his cricket days, Khan said he doesn’t play against weak teams, therefore ,wants Nawaz to return and face him.

The PTI leader said that Nawaz can only contest election when people would forgive him for his “theft”. He is admitting that London flats belong to him but he could not give the money trail for the flats till today.

“Nawaz cannot play a match in the presence of a neutral umpire,” he maintained.

Commenting on his statements regarding state institutions, Khan said nobody wants to clash with them as it ultimately harms the country.  

Khan chaired meeting to chalk out next line of action   

Earlier today, the former prime minister chaired a meeting of his party and chalked the next line of action in the wake of a landslide victory in Sunday’s by-polls.

PTI leader Faisal Javed said chairman Khan would soon announce the course of action regarding the long march after consulting with the PTI leadership.

Javed said the party’s decision on the final long march call would be revealed after the meeting.

The PTI chief won the majority of seats in by-polls on Sunday, building forward momentum in his drive to push the six-month-old Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government into announcing an early general election.

The PTI chairman contested seven of eight seats and secured six, while the PPP, part of the ruling coalition, claimed the other two seats.

While Khan will have to quit from all but one of the seats won — and polls will have to follow — the victory indicates his political narrative was popular among voters.

The cricket-turned-politician, who was sent home through a no-confidence vote in April, has been addressing huge public meetings across Pakistan demanding early elections.