ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday threatened the government of holding a massive gathering in the federal capital if it maligned the judiciary.
“The day we saw that the government is maligning judiciary, we will assemble a large number of people in Islamabad,” he threatened, as he spoke to party workers on the occasion of launch of membership campaign and of the PTI website at the Convention Centre here.
Imran Khan said that the party had now adequate practice of staging sit-ins and enduring tear gas. He also said that the country's rulers have done nothing but used their power to accumulate wealth.
The PTI chairman claimed that the party was touching heights of popularity and declared the membership campaign had been launched to check its power base ahead of possible protest movement against the government.
Khan said that the PTI gatherings had changed the culture of politics in Pakistan as educated people had started attending it.
The PTI chief also hoped that the government would let the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) function independently.
“We will give them [the government] a chance to let the NAB function independently and in case they obstructed justice, we will assemble a large number of people in Islamabad,” he threatened.
Commenting on the membership campaign, the party chief said that previously, the PTI has had to beg to get candidates but now the situation had changed.
“Now the politicians are vying for the party tickets, which is a positive sign. Now a worker at the UC level can also be consulted for granting party ticket,” he said.
Imran Khan also said that he counts late Muhammad Ali Jinnah the only leader of Pakistan till date.
He said that the mission of his party was to adopt and further the agenda and practices of late founder of Pakistan.
Lashing out at former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Khan said that “Sharif Mafia” wants that they are not convicted in the corruption cases.
“Maligning Supreme Court (SC) and rumpus outside the accountability court is aimed at thwarting any possibility of being convicted as all the looted money parked at offshore banks would be seized,” he said.
“They may let democracy derail to save their looted money. When a sitting government is not accepting a SC decision and a former prime minister is openly saying that he do not accept SC verdict, then the system is heading towards chaos,” Khan warned.
The PTI chairman lamented that the state was busy in protecting the Sharif family. He said that those close to the Sharif family were also in fear of being held for corruption.
Khan said a man accused of looting billions of rupees was made party president.
Criticising former president Asif Ali Zardari, the PTI chairman said Zardari was not a hypocrite at least.
He looks like a “dacoit” as he cannot hide his facial expressions.
“Zardari is talking about corruption, which is a sign of doomsday,” Khan added.
He also came hard on the interior minister, saying “the biggest pseudo and fraud is Ahsan Iqbal. He started his political career under military dictator General Zia.”
Khan said that the government was hell bent upon maligning the army.
“It is all a drama to please others,” the PTI chairman held as he criticised Ahsan Iqbal for his recent statements in the context of accountability of the Sharif family.
The PTI chief said that he was always with the army.
He said that Nawaz Sharif took money from Osama bin Laden in 1989 to topple the government of Benazir Bhutto.
Khan vowed to follow merit in politics.
He lamented that there was no system to pool in talent under the governments of the Sharifs or Zardari.
Khan criticised the government for appointing corrupt persons as head of state institutions.
The PTI chairman said that implementation of merit would help pull the nation out of poverty.