Fazl gives PM two days to quit

ISLAMABAD: Top leadership of the opposition parties at Azadi March came up with the unanimous demand of resignation of the Prime Minister Imran Khan while expressing complete no-confidence in government policies, as the JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman gave two days deadline to the premier to quit.

The JUI-F chief managed to get key leaders of all the opposition parties on the container, including opposition leader and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, Mahmood Khan Achakzai of PkMAP, QWP chief Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao and others, who pledged to get rid of the government.

Fazlur Rehman gave the deadline of next two days to Prime Minister Imran Khan to quit, otherwise the protestors would move forward. “You the people will take the decision if the prime minister does not resign within two days,” the JUI-F chief maintained as the ground echoed with slogans of ‘Go Niazi Go’.

During his speech, Maulana Fazlur Rehman also asked the audience whether they also demand resignation of the prime minister and received response in the affirmative. He told protesters that the opposition’s political leadership with consultation will continue to update them about decisions.

The JUI-F top leader said that peaceful mood as demonstrated by the opposition should be respected, but now they could not show patience anymore. “Every political leader is hearing me and those should also listen whom we want to convey our decision,” he said.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman said they did not want a clash with the institutions, but wanted the institutions to act impartially. "If we feel that the institutions are protecting these illegitimate rulers, then after a time limit of two days, we should not be stopped from forming an opinion regarding the institutions," he told the gathering.

“This is our decision that the 2018 general elections were fraud and the present government will have to go,” he said. While listening to the crowd, Fazlur Rehman said he is hearing that the marchers are talking about D-Chowk. He said Bilawal, Ahsan Iqbal, Nawaz Sharif and Zardari have also listened to it and those who must listen have also noticed it. He went on to say that they were peaceful people but the sea of masses has the capability to move forward to arrest Prime Minister Imran Khan from his home.

The JUI-F chief accused the PTI government of compromising on the Kashmir cause, saying that the incumbent rulers have left the Kashmiris alone. “Now the Pakistani people will have to fight the war of Kashmir,” he said. He also alleged that the rulers have changed the basis of ideology of the country on which the country was freed. He also regretted that there were reports about recognising Israel.

The JUI-F chief also criticised economic policies of the government which he said were discouraging investors and business community, doctors and teachers are protesting against the government. “Instead of giving jobs to 10 million people, 2.5 million have been rendered jobless while instead of constructing five million houses, as many houses have been demolished,” he said.

Ridiculing the past claims of Imran Khan that economy of Pakistan would be improved to the extent people from abroad would prefer seeking jobs in Pakistan, he said it were only two people including governor of State Bank of Pakistan and chairman of FBR who have been given jobs on the recommendation of the IMF.

The PML-N President, Shahbaz Sharif, said while addressing the charged protesters that the “selected government” of Imran Khan would be swept away by the sea of people. “The change which is yet to be seen will come now,” he said. Shahbaz Sharif said it was the constitutional right of the parliament to bring about change within the parliament. “The country will suffer irreparable loss if Imran Khan continue to stick to the government for the next few months,” the PML-N president said.

Other PML-N leaders including party’s Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal and Khawaja Muhammad Asif were also present on the occasion.

Shahbaz said the ‘selected prime minister’ due to his government’s policies has made the people to cry. “Now the time has come that Imran Khan is made to cry,” he said, adding the time has come to get rid of the fake government. He pointed out that despite getting full support of the institutions, Prime Minister Imran Khan, who he termed stubborn, cruel and having no brain, has not been able to deliver. He said the PM is running the government through ‘jadu tona’.

“Were we given 10 percent of this support, we might have changed destiny of the country,” he said, adding that Imran Khan is so proud and arrogant that he even skipped briefing on Kashmir given by the army chief. "You (Imran Khan) started the container politics and you said you will burn down this parliament. Despite rigged elections, we offered the charter of economy, but you refused our offer," he said.

The PML-N leader criticised Imran Khan for hike in prices, unemployment, poverty, and what he called his government's failure to overcome dengue crisis. "Today people are dying of dengue and government has deprived people of medicine," he said. Shahbaz said 50,000 people have been affected by dengue this year. "People have lost their lives to dengue, but Imran Khan used to call us dengue brothers," he reminded. He said people used to get free medicines during the Nawaz Sharif government, questioning people whether the old Pakistan was better or the Naya Pakistan is good.

Calling the Azadi March the first phase of the movement, he said the opposition would now take forward its campaign. "We will put the country on the right track within six months after forming a government in collaboration with our allies," he said, adding that his name should be changed to Imran Niazi if he does not fulfil his promise. He pointed out that Imran Khan, who talks about the state of Madina day and night, had made life of poor masses miserable while every segment of society, including doctors, students and businessmen were protesting over his policies.

“Poor patients are not getting free medicines, students’ scholarships have been stopped while the business activity has also come to a stop,” Shahbaz said, adding that the facility of free medicines for cancer patients was also taken away. He said that Imran Khan has become blind in anti-Nawaz Sharif policies and free liver transplant facility was also stopped and highly qualified doctors had been forced to leave the country.

The PPP Chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, in his speech said Pakistan’s population only believes in democracy. Bilawal said that even after 70 years, transparent elections cannot be held in Pakistan, adding that his party’s polling agents were expelled from polling stations during the General Elections 2018.

“Selected government puts pressure on the nation,” said the PPP chairman, adding that people are being ‘economically murdered’. Bilawal said the PTI government has been putting burden on the common man because it wants to continue to please the "selectors" that brought it into power. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan gives "pain" to the public but provides relief to wealthy classes.

The PPP chairman alleged that the country's economy is not free and that the budget implemented by the government is a "PTI-IMF budget". He alleged that decisions regarding Pakistan's economy are being taken abroad, with the IMF deciding who the country's finance minister and heads of State Bank and FBR will be. He said the PPP will stand by the JUI-F in "every democratic step of the way" in their fight against the government. Bilawal said the people of Pakistan do not accept the "selected" and "puppet" government system in place in the country.

PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif wants to see the opposition's Azadi March succeed. He said regional countries had left Pakistan behind because the people's "vote was not honoured" in the country.

ANP leader Mian Iftikhar said the opposition parties gathered for the Azadi March will not rest until the PTI-led government has been sent home. He condemned the alleged media blackout of the Azadi March. Mian Iftikhar said the first and foremost demand of the Azadi March protesters is the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan. "Our election has been stolen," he said, referring to the PTI government coming into power.

JUI-F leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri while speaking to protesters said that Imran Khan should follow Lebanese prime minister and tender his resignation along with his cabinet members. He reminded the prime minister that it was not a sit-in for a day or two rather it was a movement which would continue till achieving its objectives. PkMAP chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai said the opposition will not seek anything beyond the Constitution.