PTI announces anti-inflation protests across country.

CHARSADDA/ISLAMABAD    -   Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan Saturday warned the government of ‘a peaceful revolution’ in the country if they tried to create hurdles in his way. “I fear, there will be such a revolution (in the country) that no one will be able to control the game,” he said while addressing a public gathering in Charsadda. 

Imran Khan also Saturday called on the federal government to ‘do its duty’ by maintaining the law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amid the deteriorating security situation.

“The Law and order (situation) has deteriorated in Malakand. KP Police are trying their best, but the federal government should take charge and carry out its duty instead of only trying to somehow make me a terrorist or register cases [against me].”

He also said the people of KP had made a lot of sacrifices and it was the government’s responsibility to address the worsening law and order, especially in the tribal districts.

The former prime minister also demanded early elections. Addressing the charged crowd, he said the “time is not far” when he would give a call for one purpose: that “fair and free” elections be held.

He said there was no other solution to the country’s current issues other than fresh elections that would bring political stability and subsequently, economic stability.

“I am preparing all of you then when I give you the call, you have to set out with me for real freedom.”

Imran claimed the entire nation was saying with one voice that the current “imported government is unacceptable”.

The PTI chief said he had a message for the government and “those standing behind it”, that the nation would not forget and God would not forgive those who were responsible for removing the PTI’s “good functioning government”.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan late Saturday tweeted, “Charsadda jalsa today where once again a sea of people responded to my Haqiqi Azadi Tehreek. What is beyond any doubt is that Pakistan is witnessing a revolution unfolding. We should all ensure it is peaceful and through the ballot box.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Saturday announced anti-inflation protests across the country and once again warned the ruling coalition that it would give a “final call” of protest within next two weeks if snap polls were not announced.

The opposition party in the centre also ruled out any possibility of delaying the general elections by bringing a technocratic set-up in the country for a year till the country’s ailing economy revives by saying that there was no provision in the Constitution for such a system.

The demand of the early election is being made repeatedly by the PTI at a time when the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led federal government has said that the elections would be held on schedule as two-third of the country is under water due to floods.

Briefing media persons about the decisions taken at an important meeting of the party’s core committee, PTI leader and former information minister Fawad Chaudhry said that a call has been given to all party’s organizations countrywide to stage demonstrations against rising inflation.

“But if the government doesn’t move towards elections, then wait for a final call in these two weeks as consultations are underway (in this connection),” he said. “We think workers should wait for a final call in September.”

Earlier, the core committee meeting was held with PTI chief Imran Khan in the chair, which was attended by top leadership of the party.

“This cannot happen in Pakistan that people elect a party but it has no authority to rule the country,” Chaudhry said, adding that it was very important to set right the “political balance” in the country.

He said that the core committee also voiced serious concerns over the country’s economic meltdown, rising street crimes and the political situation. He claimed that factories were being shuttered, and around 250,000 to 300,000 people have become unemployed during the last four months. Some estimates show that one million people would lose their jobs in the next few months, he added. “We believe that there is no solution to get the country out of the prevailing untold crises except early elections.”

Former information minister said that the PTI would not budge an inch from its stated position and would continue to fight until it materialised the dream of making Pakistan “an independent state in real sense.”

However, he said that the PTI was open for talks provided the government gave a deadline for the elections.

He said that it was reported that Defence Minister Khawaja   Asif expressed desire of talks with PTI, which was a positive development.

Responding to a question, he said that there was no constitutional provision for bringing any technocratic set-up, as it would be tantamount to imposing martial law. “Pakistan’s future lies in democracy.”

However, Chaudhry warned   if the government resisted and dragged the polls any more, then Imran Khan would give a final protest call.  He warned that the government, not the PTI, would be held responsible if any wrong happened.

The PTI leader said that the meeting showed concerns over the alleged hate campaign being run against former prime minister Imran Khan.  He said that PTI was facing no threat from Pakistan People’s Party leader Asif Ali Zardari as he was like an “expired cartridge.”

Talking about the flood situation, Chaudhry said that the meeting deplored the losses due to floods especially in Sindh and Balochistan. He added that Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) governments made effective strategies to cope with flood devastations, comparing to   federal and other provincial governments.