‘One man’ committed cruelty by toppling our govt: Imran Khan

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday said that one man’s decision toppled his government, deeming it a cruelty.

“One man has enmity [towards PTI]. He decided to end the party. He decided to end Imran Khan,” Khan said without naming the person he was referring to.

“I want to remind the nation that his toppled PTI government took the country towards economic progress,” the deposed prime minister said.

“We are afraid that everything will get out of hand if [general] elections are not held soon,” he said while addressing his workers and supporters via video link from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore.

He reiterated his call for holding early elections, urging the “establishment” and “judiciary” to play their role to avoid further economic destruction and political instability in the country.

Imran Khan, who was removed from power through a vote of no-confidence in the National Assembly in April this year, also reminded his supporters about the PTI’s winning by-election despite alleged rigging. He added that his assassination was decided as a result of his party’s victorious stride.

The PTI chief said that even though his party has governments in two provinces and rules over 66% of the country, it has decided dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies.

Last week, the former premier announced that the dissolution of assemblies in both the provinces would be done on Friday (tomorrow).

“This is everyone’s battle, but not of those whose money is lying abroad,” Khan said, pointing at the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government in the Centre. He added that the nation rejected the “gang of thieves”.

The PTI government gave the highest growth rate in Pakistan’s history when the economy was progressing, he added. “The country’s wealth increased by 5.7% and 6% in the third and fourth year. The country had never progressed to this extent.”

Khan said that he had never seen the nation go into a dark time in his 70 years of life. “Our country is getting stuck in quicksand.”

He said that he was addressing those Pakistanis who have not laundered their money abroad rather than those who have looted the country.

Meanwhile, the PTI supporters staged a protest outside the Governor’s House in Lahore. Ahead of Imran Khan’s address, party workers also chanted slogans against the governor, and also brought a 100-metre-long PTI flag to show their support for the party chairman.

Prior to Imran Khan’s address, PTI’s Focal Person for Economy Hammad Azhar took a jibe at Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah saying that while he was trying to seal the Punjab CM House, PTI supporters had sealed the Governor’s House and has taken the governor hostage by “staging a huge protest”.

Warning the governor to beware of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Azhar said: “The people on whose dictation you are violating the Constitution will not even release a statement in your favour when needed.”