Imran Khan returned to Bani Gala as he failed to even gather 35,000 people: Marriyum Aurangzeb

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Friday said that former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan returned to Bani Gala because he had accepted his defeat as he couldn't even gather 35,000 despite making claims of assembling 2 million people.

Speaking during a press conference in Islamabad, Aurangzeb said that Khan and his party were not prepared for the so-called "Azadi March". 

"The only preparation they had carried out was to assemble arms and sticks," she said, adding that they were preparing for a khooni (violent) march.

The information minister added that the PTI supporters were led astray because of Khan's false narrative.

"By the time he reached Islamabad, only 15 to 20 cars were accompanying his caravan," she said. "Khan should tell us what was stopping him from continuing his march. The Supreme Court had given you ago ahead for the march and there were no impediments. You kept on calling everyone to join your march but people were not interested."

She went on to say that those who advise Khan to hold press conferences are not competent people because instead of telling him to appear on TV, they should have told him to consume sleeping pills and go to bed.

Aurangzeb then chided the former prime minister for being responsible for the martyrdom of a police constable in Lahore and said: "The policeman took a bullet to his chest because of your politics of negativity."

The information minister further added that Khan defied the orders of the Supreme Court and continued to move towards the federal capital's D-Chowk.

"While he did not reach the D-Chowk himself, he provoked his supporters to violate the apex court's order."

Speaking about PTI supporters, Aurangzeb said that the government respected their sentiments.

'Khan to be blamed for hike in petrol prices'

Moving on, Aurangzeb blamed Khan for the sudden hike in prices of petroleum products in the country and said: "When he learned about the no-confidence motion being tabled against him, Khan subsidised the prices of petroleum products."

She said that Khan was the one who had signed an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and he was the one who continued to subsidise the prices of petroleum products because of which the PML-N government had to make the tough decision of partially removing the subsidies.