ISLAMABAD - Imran Khan Saturday declaring himself the next prime minister announced that he will continue his protest sit-in and threatened to march on the Parliament House and PM House if PM Nawaz Sharif does not resign.
“I now ask you Mian Sahib, with politeness, to resign as it is hard to control junoon (enthusiasm) of the people and they could march on the Parliament House and PM House,” said Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief addressing a thinner than expected gathering that kept him hearing in heavy rain Saturday evening.
Imran saidy Sunday (today) will be the decisive day. “The match will start at 3pm today,” he added.
In his addresses, made in fits and starts to the sit-in, Khan termed the mandate of the government fake as asked the prime minister to resign. “The masses have decided that they will not leave you (PM) until you resign,” he said amid slogans ‘Go Nawaz Go’.
As the PTI show gained momentum at the Kashmir Highway on Saturday evening before the arrival of Imran Khan at the venue of the sit-in, thundering clouds started to show up. Instead of being perturbed at the heavy rain, most of the participants enjoyed it.
PTI chief reminded the government that patience of the people had a limit and their passion for change could not be controlled for a long time. “A fast bowler himself could not have patience for a long time,” he said in reference to his own cricketing background. The PM should not be in any misunderstanding as this ‘tsunami’ could reach Parliament House as well as PM House through the Red Zone, he added.
“PM Imran will never lie to you; he will not make tall promises and will do whatever he could do,” Khan said while claiming himself to be the next PM. He claimed that under his premiership the nation would not have to beg before any one and he will make Pakistan a welfare state.
People would not need to get visas for other countries or go abroad for treatment under his rule, PTI chairman said. He claimed that on becoming prime minister he would develop and tap indigenous resources to run the affairs f the government and not seek foreign loans at all.
Apparently perturbed over the criticism of the media for leaving the protest venue early Saturday morning after his speech, Khan claimed that he left the venue for the sake of his followers as they were in miserable condition after the arduous journey. “From now on, I will sit here at this stage, will stay here, will sleep here, and we will stay here until our demands are met,” he said and told his supporters that they could leave the venue but he would stay there.
Imran Khan, like Dr Qadri, claimed that they had taken the first wicket of the government and an FIR was being registered against younger Sharif brother, Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif. He predicted a gloomy future for the elder Sharif, PM Nawaz, when the cat of rigging would come out of the bag.
Khan asked his supporters that after winning his match in Punjab he would go towards Balochistan and Sindh. Claiming that he saw a flood of people along the roads he passed during his 40 hours long journey from Lahore to Islamabad, he said God was testing their patience and they were ready for this test. He remarked that enthusiasm of his workers who were staying here in heavy rain was remarkable.
PTI chief claimed that when he was entering Islamabad, a policeman approached him with a letter stating that Punjabi Taliban had plans to assassinate him. He said did not fear for his life and was ready to shed it for the people. Imran lashed out at a certain media group alleging that it was running a propaganda campaign against his party after taking bribe from the government. He said no one could buy his conscience and quoting a saying of Hazrat Ali (RA) the PTI chief said businessmen should not rule the people.
He informed the participants that his party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had made the police impartial and apolitical and in the coming days police system would be made exemplary throughout the country. The reason behind loadshedding was only corruption, he said, adding that his government would conduct audit of those companies whom the incumbent government paid Rs500 million.
Imran said that PM Nawaz Shari always played cricket in Gymkhana with his own empires in place and he also won all elections with the help of ‘his own empires’; and he bribed judiciary as well as army officials. “Now the masses will decide your (PM’s) fate,” he said. Khan also invited Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar to join PTI. Chaudhry Nisar should decide if he has to stand with democracy or monarchy, he said.