‘Elections across country, not in two provinces alone’: Ready to mend fences with everyone, says Imran

By News Desk

LAHORE: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has expressed his willingness to forgive those who were involved in the attack on him in November last year. He also sought elections across the country instead of 60 percent of the country.

In a video-link address here on Saturday, Imran Khan said that he was ready to talk, compromise and forgive those involved in the murderous attack.

The former premier said that he was ready to “mend fences with everyone”.

Sharing his willingness to negotiate, Imran said that a politician talks to everyone; however, he spoke against an agreement with those who steal the country’s money.

“General Bajwa asked to give them NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance]. Who am I to forgive them for stealing people’s money?” the former prime minister asked. But he then went on and said he was “ready to talk to everyone”, Geo News reported.

Comparing himself to former South African president Nelson Mandela, Khan said he knows all those involved in the assassination attack against him but was ready to forgive them.

“Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison, but he forgave everyone,” he said.

Considering the country’s situation at present, the politician insisted on unity and stressed the need for reforming the judiciary.

The former prime minister further said that elections were the only solution to the country’s problems, adding that economic stability would come only after political stability. He called for elections across the country, not in two provinces alone.

Imran said that general elections would save resources if they were held at once. He added that PTI will win the elections despite the presence of Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) umpires. The former premier said that overseas Pakistanis were standing alongside the PTI.

He announced to start the PTI election campaign from next week and said that he would himself give all the tickets in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He also said that the tickets would be distributed in two weeks.

“If an applicant does not get a ticket and he tries to contest election as an independent candidate, he will be expelled from the party,” he announced.

He told the local leadership of the party that those who did not get tickets in the provincial assembly and National Assembly elections would be accommodated in the local bodies elections.

The PTI chairman said that his government was overthrown after he briefed the then army chief about instability in the country. He said at that time he repeatedly raised the demand for new elections but the ruling coalition, the PDM and its handlers, did not do so.

“Instead of accepting our demand to hold elections, PTI workers are targeted,” he claimed.

Imran again claimed that Azam Swati and Shahbaz Gill were stripped and tortured in custody and the way dirty videos and audios were leaked, it had never happened in the past.

He said that unemployment and inflation had increased and as a result 800,000 Pakistani professionals had left the country due to frustration. He said stability would not come until the general elections were held.

Imran also said that the price of eggs had increased from Rs135 to Rs246, milk from Rs116 to Rs156 per liter and chicken from Rs280 to Rs460 per kg. He said that petrol price increased from Rs150 to Rs268 per liter while tube-well electricity unit had gone up to Rs36 from earlier Rs8.

The PTI chairman said that during his three-and-a-half-year government, the dollar had increased by Rs55, adding that the problems would be solved only when the people’s representative government comes to power.

He said that whoever comes in the next government, they will have to stand with the people and institutions, they will have to take steps to fix the country which have not been taken till now.

Imran said that the government’s expenditure has to be reduced, the loss-making corporations have to be restructured, every organisation has to be helped to increase exports.

He said that he had known the current rulers for 30 years and it was certain that they could not manage the economy, the country cannot come out of the quagmire without making the exporters VIPs.

He said that during General Musharraf’s martial law, he was sent to jail, but the present rulers, on May 25, oppressed the PTI leaders and workers and people were picked up. He said three long marches were held against his government and anyone could tell how many FIRs were registered against the opposition at that time.

Imran claimed that PTI parliamentarians were pressurised to join the PMLN. He said so far 74 cases had been registered against him but he was not afraid and would continue to fight.

Meanwhile, after party leaders’ release from various jails, a large number of PTI workers in Lahore gave a warm welcome to Asad Umar, Azam Swati and Dr Murad Ras.

Asad Umar said that Imran Khan had fulfilled all his promises and elections were the only solution to the country’s problems, adding that the time was not far when Imran Khan would be the prime minister.

Swati said that he had seen many tough times but remained steadfast.

All the leaders and workers later reached Zaman Park. Shah Mehmood Qureshi also reached Lahore after his release from Attock Jail.

The released leaders later met Imran Khan and discussed the ongoing political situation in the country. PTI Chairman Imran Khan congratulated the PTI leaders for showing a strong conduct during the Jail Bharo Tehreek.

Meanwhile, separately, Fawad, referring to PTI chairman’s speech, said Imran Khan has given the message to unite and adopt the path of dialogue today. “In this difficult situation, politics is the guarantee of the state: Move towards political stability and decide the formula for national elections,” he contended.