KARACHI - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan presenting a 10-point agenda for Karachi on Saturday vowed to transform the port city into developed and world-recognised city.

Imran was addressing party’s public gathering at ground positioned next to Aladdin Park on Rashid Minhas Road. PTI leaders Asad Umer, Haleem Adil Sheikh, Dr Arif Alvi, Imran Ismail, Faisal Wadwa and others were also present on the occasion.

Thanking people of Karachi for a warm welcome, Imran said history was a witness to the fact that every key political movement was initiated from Karachi as the residents were most mature politically. He said people of Karachi always stood untied to counter issues faced by the country but unfortunately some evil forces spread hate and tried to achieve the agenda of division. Imran urged the Karachiites to shun differences and unite for betterment of the city.

Narrating his own story, Imran said he witnessed ups and downs in his life but always dreamt of achieving big and in the end he was victorious. “The people used to laugh at me when I formed PTI about 22 years ago but now PTI has emerged as the most popular party of Pakistan,” he maintained.

Criticising PPP-led provincial government, he said incompetent rulers had ruined the entire education and health sectors and especially the rural part of Sindh had turned it into the most impoverished region in the world.

Imran said the only way to end poverty was to eliminate corruption but unfortunately the people who remained in power including Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari were found involved in money-laundering worth billions of rupees.

“Why Nawaz Sharif did not reform judiciary when he was enjoying power as prime minister. Why Zardari despite being president of the country did not make efforts to arrest killers of Benazir Bhuttto,” questioned Khan. 

“If PTI wins general elections, it will give priority to end corruption from the country,” claimed the PTI chairman. He further said that party movement had produced results and soon Nawaz will be giving interview from prison.

MQM founder Altaf Hussain claim to be the leader of Mohajir community had done nothing but spending a lavishing life in London. “No one is here to resolve issues of the city, everyone is seeking to resolve his own issues leaving the others, only a comprehensive plan can bring the people of Karachi out of crisis,” Khan was of the view. 

Presenting PTI’s 10-point agenda for Karachi, the PTI chief said that party had kept the water shortage issue on the top as it was the biggest problem of Karachi. The port city was generating 70 per cent revenue but did not have pure water to meet its needs. We have decided to change the administrative system in city and bring a mayor who will be directly elected,” he added.

Imran said education system will be improved and government will focus on provision of education to every child of the province. Health that was considered to be the key sector would be brought at the level of the private hospital whereas the law and order situation would be improved by depoliticising the police department.

Reforms will be introduce in business sector to end unemployment and private power company KE would be nationalised to provide constant power supply to citizens.

He said youth would be provided a chance to enhance their ability in every field including sports and others.

Karachi needed extensive tree plantation and majority party would focus on that too after coming into power and will provide healthy atmosphere to citizens, he added.    

MQM and PPP since long were befooling masses and holding each other responsible for destruction of Karachi, said PTI’s vice chairman while addressing the public gathering. “Do you want to get rid of both these so-called political forces,” questioned Qureshi.

Criticizing PPP’s Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, he said PPP remained in rule for five years, while Yousuf Raza Ghilani despite being prime minister of Pakistan failed to arrest killers of Benazir Bhutto. PPP leader Rehman Malik had stated that he knew the killer but still silent to reveal the truth, whereas Bilawal in party’s public gathering was still seeking justice for the murder of his mother, he said and asked for how long more these people were going to mislead the residents of Sindh.

Addressing the public meeting, Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed lambasted Nawaz Sharif saying his family had always been a vibrant opponent of the security institutions. During an interview with a private TV channel, the disqualified prime minister openly targeted Pakistan Army. On various occasions Nawaz facilitated enemy state India and he was the man who shared Ajmal Qasab residential address with then ruling Indian government.

Sheikh further said that efforts were still on to defame country’s institutions especially Pakistan Army and judiciary and the man behind all the conspiracy was Nawaz Sharif who was working to destabilise the democracy in the country. Praising the work of Chief Justice of Pakistan, he said that judiciary had taken historical steps for elimination of corruption from the country.

Talking about the Karachi, AML chief said that people claimed to own the the city were living in fool’s paradise, Karachi was not a legacy of a specific group. Should play their role in bring country out of crisis.