LAHORE - Imran Khan yesterday lambasted the ECP for alleged discrimination against PTI regarding NA-120 campaign as he announced holding a public meeting in Lahore on September 8.
Addressing a press conference, he said the show will be staged outside the NA-120 constituency as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had barred him from taking part in the by-polls campaign.
Dr Yasmin Rashid of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is contesting election against Kalsoom Nawaz on the National Assembly seat, which fell vacant after disqualification of Nawaz Sharif. The election is due on September 17.
Khan criticised election commission decision calling it illogical and saying how he could be stopped from taking part in the election campaign when he was the party chairman and did not hold any public office. He hoped the court will allow him to lead election campaigns.
He said the outcome of NA-120 election will define what kind of Pakistan the people of the country wanted.
PTI chief criticised the ECP for not taking action against the ‘violations’ of election code by the PML-N, claiming state resources were being used by the ruling party and every minister and MNA was engaged in campaign for the wife of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
He also questioned how Maryam Nawaz Sharif could hold a meeting in Punjab CM office in Model Town in connection of NA-120 election. Claiming that PTI workers were being harassed and threatened during their campaign, he demanded Punjab Police chief take strict action against the “hooligans of Noon League”. He warned of dragging the IGP to court if their concerns were not addressed.
Imran Khan also lambasted National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for giving safe exit to Asif Zardari and termed his acquittal in last corruption reference a result of a ‘deal’ between PPP and ruling PML-N.
Asked why then he posed trust in NAB regarding the cases against Sharifs, he said it was only because a Supreme Court judge was overseeing the entire process.
He said the ruling family had the art of bribing any person. Sharifs, he claimed, had weakened the state institutions and bribed people to get favours. This was the ‘only gift’ the Pakistani nation received in the tenures of PML-N and Sharifs named it democracy, he added.
PTI chairman demanded putting the name of Nawaz Shairf in exit control list as he learnt the former prime minister would soon depart to London to see his ailing wife.
“I pray for Kalsoom Nawaz’s good health but it doesn’t mean Nawaz [be allowed to] fly abroad, he said, asking, “How he could leave the country when he is facing corruption charges in the courts.”
“There must be same laws for Nawaz Sharif and the common man. Can government allow a common person to leave the country when he/she is facing charges,” he questioned.
Imran said the government must give a befitting response to US in recent diplomacy crisis that emerged after Trump’s statement.
When asked how PTI sees Opposition Leader in National Assembly Khurished Shah’s suggestion of reducing tenure of assemblies to four years, he said the assemblies’ tenure did not matter much; what mattered most in a democracy was how to strengthen the institutions.
To a question, he said resumption of international cricket in Pakistan was a good sign.
Earlier, PTI chief spent a busy day in the city and held meetings with party’s lawyer wing leaders and Dr Yasmin Rashid to discuss NA-120 situation.
He also visited residence of Major Ali Nasir, a martyr of country’s war against terror. Khan met with the family of late officer and paid glowing tribute to his sacrifice for the homeland.
