COAS has thrice said army stands by democracy: Imran

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday said that Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa had reiterated three times that the army stood by democracy.

He said, “I will gather millions of people on roads if articles 62 and 63 are amended.” He maintained that the system of accountability would bring peace, progress and prosperity in the country. He said that the GT Road drama was a big conspiracy against the army and the judiciary.

Addressing a big rally organised by Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed at Liaquat Bagh on Sunday, Imran Khan said, “Our fight is not against an individual but the corrupt people all around and we would not spare anybody.”

He said, “The PML-N must answer why it talks about democracy but follows monarchy.” Khan also lauded the Supreme Court’s decision of disqualifying Nawaz Sharif and said: “Supreme Court has actually made the foundation of a ‘Naya Pakistan’ by delivering justice.”

“For thirty years, Nawaz Sharif has been controlling all the institutions; this was the first time, that he wasn’t able to control the Joint Investigation Team or the Supreme Court — that is why he [Nawaz] is calling it [his disqualification] a conspiracy,” said Khan. “This is not a conspiracy, this is ‘Naya’ Pakistan.”

Throwing his support behind the judiciary, Khan said that this “is the era of social media”, and women and youth are more vigilant than before. “The nation will stand by the Supreme Court if needed.”

He alleged that only two types of people were supporting Sharifs; those whose interests were associated with him and those who were misled by him.“Nawaz Sharif was expelled after a due judicial process, yet he says that the honour of [people’s] vote is at stake,” said Khan.

Calling the GT Road rally a “drama”, Khan said that it was undertaken to pressurise the Supreme Court and the NAB.Khan proposed a four-point agenda to establish a new Pakistan. “Jihad against poverty, merit, accountability, and environment-friendly measures will provide the basis for a new Pakistan,” he said.

He said, “Public mandate means providing ‘roti’, ‘kapra’ aur ‘makan’ not indulging in money laundering. Nawaz Sharif has been looting the public for thirty years and establishing property of billions of rupees abroad.”

He gave an example of China that they arrested around 200 corrupt people in two years.He strongly criticised the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) which failed to submit Hudaibiya Paper Mills reference.

A huge number of charged and passionate PTI supporters and workers gathered at Liaquat Bagh.The charged PTI workers were of the view that their anti-corruption movement was aimed at not only ousting the Panama gate-tainted premier but also cleansing the country of corruption.

Imran Khan said that he was hopeful that the party would win the next elections. “We will contest the elections and I’m confident we will win the next elections,” said Imran Khan.He said that they wanted to make a new Pakistan where Green Passport would get respect. “I will bring millions of people on roads to protect the judiciary,” he warned.

“Nawaz Sharif is asking why he was disqualified, he was disqualified because of money laundering and looting the public exchequer,” he said.“Today in KP we have massive investment coming in … more investment is coming in compared to the past ten years in KP,” he said this while talking about his government’s performance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Imran Khan said that he was fighting for the poor and the oppressed, and PTI had become a ray of hope for everyone in the country.“I will no longer let the people be fooled by the corrupt rulers and politicians. The rulers are reluctant to take stern action against the corrupt elements because they themselves are corrupt,” the PTI chairman said stressing the need for provision of justice to everyone. Imran Khan lauded AML chief Shaikh Rashid Ahmed for fighting against the corrupt mafia.

Imran Khan said that the PTI in its four-year government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had set an example of good governance. The quality of education at state schools had improved which was evident from the fact that as many as 34,000 students had left private schools for public schools.

The PTI chief pledged that after coming into power, his party would provide speedy justice to everyone, paving the way for national progress and prosperity. The PTI’s way was the way of peace and justice, he added.

“We have the true path, which would lead the country to the golden era of progress and well being… the others’ way is the way to darkness. We have to pull the country out of this darkness,” he said, adding that Allah might bless those who were treading on the right path.

He said that the masses were now mature enough politically and they were not ready to accept Nawaz as prime minister after the Supreme Court’s verdict in the PanamaLeaks case. “The people want to get rid of the corrupt rulers and the PTI would lead them to realise the dream of corruption-free Pakistan,” he said.

Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid, while terming Nawaz Sharif’s rally the ‘weakest one’, said that despite utilisation of massive government machinery and money, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had completely failed in bringing people on the roads at large.

He strongly criticised Nawaz Sharif saying that his sons were leading a happy life but grandson of Quaid-i-Azam was facing unemployment in this country. He had also criticised Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in his address.

Sheikh Rashid said that the people of Islamabad did not participate in the rally and some government employees were forced to take part in it.

Sheikh said that the PML-N was holding talks through backdoor and the day they spoke the truth would be the last day of their politics. Nawaz was disqualified for corruption charges and the people of Pakistan had rejected his long march against the court judgment.

Sheikh Rashid pronounced that Hudaibiya Paper Mills case would be political suicide for Nawaz Sharif. The nation will forget the Panama Papers case after Hudaibiya Paper Mills case, he said.

PTI leader Chaudhry Sarwar strongly criticised the corrupt politicians in the country saying that the corrupt elements should be removed from the society. He said that all other departments had compromised except the army and judiciary. He gave a strong message to terrorists that the nation is one against them.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi in his address said that he wanted to tell the people how Nawaz Sharif was disqualified as he had looted money of this nation. He was crying on the GT Road and asking what his sin was, he said.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that it was history that Nawaz Sharif never respected the public mandate. “You have been disqualified because you are a liar. You have been disqualified because you have failed to provide money trail to the Joint Investigation Team (JIT),” he said.

The PTI and AML presented a documentary on the topic of “Kiyo Nikala Gya’ here at Liaquat Bagh.The rally was scheduled to start at 6:00pm; however, rain caused a delay in the start, but despite the rain, the crowd continued to arrive at the rally venue.

The two parties jointly staged the anti-government public meeting for the first time after the Supreme Court’s verdict against the Sharif family in Panama Papers case.More than 1,500 policemen were deployed for the rally’s security in the garrison city, with walk-through gates and snap checking at all entry and exit points. The participants also enjoyed fireworks at the end.