Only purpose of my long march is fresh elections: Imran

LALAMUSA: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has said the purpose of his long march is to force the government to hold fresh elections.

Addressing the PTI’s Haqeeqi Azadi March in Kharian via video-link, he said there was a propaganda about the march. “I want to remind the nation that four long marches took place in my three years’ tenure. The objective of the four long marches was to take an NRO. This long march is completely different from the previous long marches. I am not doing it to get cases against me closed but it is very important for the country that we use our democratic right to peaceful protests and conduct a transparent election,” he added.

Imran maintained that two families had been ruling the country for the past thirty years. “If they had to do something, they would have done it already. During their tenure, Bangladesh and India also went ahead of us. Till the 90s, we were ahead of these countries. These people are leading the country to destruction. They had bankrupted the economy even in 2018, so how could these people fix the economy now? It is the history of the world that those who destroy institutions cannot fix them. After 17 years, we had improved the country’s development. Large-scale manufacturing was growing rapidly after fifty years. When the country was developing, the handlers brought down our government. No attempt was made to correct the mistake. The only way to right the wrong is fair and transparent elections for which we are holding the long march,” he added.

“A convicted fugitive in London decides that because he will lose, there would be no early elections. He is pushing our entire country to ruins so that he can survive. All his money is stashed abroad. He stole the country’s money for thirty years. Nawaz Sharif’s London flat is in the name of Maryam Nawaz. Sitting in a flat bought with stolen money, a group of fugitives is deciding the future of this country. How can those people who have not done a single job on merit appoint the army chief on merit? These families promoted those whom they could bribe. These people only aim to save their stolen money. Because they know that they cannot win, that is why they are not holding snap elections. When a problem befalls, the entire family flees to London. The biggest punishment for them is to put their name on the ECL.”

“In seven months, the nation has rejected the thieves who were imposed on us through a conspiracy. Handlers thought that no one would participate in the long march without me, but people are participating in it. When this march reaches Rawalpindi, the nation will see that people from all over Pakistan would come there.

The nation is sending a clear message that we want elections because we want to decide who will lead this country. This government says that Imran Khan has isolated Pakistan internationally. Tell me just one thing these people have done for the benefit of the country at the foreign level. I used to take foreign trips cautiously. I would not go on a foreign visit unless I was sure about the benefit to the country from the visit. My children were in England. I received invitations but I decided not to go there because the visit would not benefit my country. Nawaz Sharif made 24 private visits to the UK while he was the Prime Minister. Asif Ali Zardari made 50 private visits to Dubai. I did not make a single private visit,” he claimed.

Imran said that Shehbaz Sharif took a Boeing 777 on his visit to China. “It did not benefit Pakistan at all, rather the prestige of Pakistan went down. I spoke about Islamophobia during my tenure at the UN. The Muslim world acknowledged it. I did not want any war with any country but I wanted an independent foreign policy. I wanted a foreign policy that was in the interest of the country. We want a foreign policy with America like India’s policy. India has good relations with the US because they are self-reliant. India stands for the interests of its people. I cannot accept anyone’s slavery in the war against terror. If these people tell me that I have isolated Pakistan by talking about an independent foreign policy, then what have you achieved by polishing shoes? How much money has come in the country by standing with folded hands in front of everyone? Where Pakistan stands today, does anyone have a way to save the country?”

Imran Khan said the nation was shocked because it was hoping that we would win the World Cup. “I used to tell my team to fight till the last ball. Our team kept trying till the last ball. Shaheen Afridi got injured. The nation should congratulate the team as it reached the final. I watched a cricket match after a long time. We have the best fast bowling attack. We pray for Shaheen Shah Afridi’s speedy recovery. Babar Azam is a world-class batsman and I think he will surpass all batsmen in the world. We are disappointed but the Pakistan team is considered among the top teams in the world.”

Meanwhile, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that people had sacrificed a lot to get this country. “Now is the time for us to achieve real freedom. When Imran Khan was attacked in Wazirabad, political pundits believed the PTI and its supporters would panic. Imran Khan is our only ray of hope. He told us that he will not give up as long as he is alive,” he told the gathering.

The PTI leader and Punjab Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid said, “We are lucky that our leader is honest. Imran Khan knew the suffering of the people even before entering politics. On the one side there is Imran Khan and on the other side there is Nawaz Sharif.”

PTI MNA Syed Faizul Hassan Shah alleged the PMLN and PPP had looted the national treasury and destroyed national institutions. Former minister Hammad Azhar said the country had not been created to be enslaved by external masters.