We’ll hold elections by force: Imran Khan

GUJRANWALA: Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and former prime minister Imran Khan on Saturday once again reiterated his demand for free and fair elections, warning that failure to do so would compel his supporters to take to the streets and have their demands accepted by force.

Addressing a public gathering at the Jinnah Stadium here, Imran Khan said, “If they do not hold free and fair elections, then the people are ready to take to the streets to hold peaceful protests or we will hold elections by force,” he said. “We can see they are running away from the elections because they know they will fare much worse than in the past.”

Addressing his party’s Insaf Student Federation and youth in general, he said he would need them both in the light of “things I am going to say ahead”.

“The thing I am preparing this nation for… I would need the youth of this nation a lot for Haqeeqi Azadi (actual freedom),” he said. “I am ready to sacrifice my life for real independence in the country. Jail is a small thing if the country gets real independence.”

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Imran Khan said that the imported government cannot compete with him in the election, so they wanted to disqualify him technically. “Dozens of cases, even terrorism and blasphemy cases, have been registered against me.” He further said that disqualifying him was not the solution but free and transparent elections were the only solution to problems.

The PTI leader asked the establishment to save the country and economy from further deterioration, saying the people will hold them responsible if it does not act. “I am addressing the people who have the power. I want to ask the establishment… the way this government is taking this country and economy down… I know that you call yourself neutral but this nation will hold you responsible for the way the country is going down. They will hold you responsible because you could have prevented the country from getting mired in this swamp but you did not do anything.”

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The PTI chairman explained that he had merely spoken of “taking legal action” when informed of Gill’s torture through his lawyers. He said that his reaction was against the torture of a person who is not a terrorist but is actually an assistant professor at a US university. “I wouldn’t comment on it [contempt of court case in IHC] because it’s sub judice but what was I supposed to say? He was my chief of staff. Was I not supposed to react?”

Imran also announced the acceptance of the verdict of Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the contempt of court case. The PTI chairman said Atahar Minallah’s Islamabad High Court has announced excellent decisions. “I’ve praised them many a time for their stands. And whatever they decide [about my case], I’ll accept that.”

“They did not allow me to speak. Otherwise, I would have told them under what circumstances I did this.”

Imran clarified that his remarks were not against the judge but over alleged inhuman attitude against Shahbaz Gill. Imran said there is no rule of law but only brute force was at work.