Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday accused the government of creating hurdles in the way of PTI’s proposed peace march in South Waziristan Agency.
Addressing a news conference at the PTI Central Secretariat, Imran said the government was pressurizing the PTI by refusing visas to several international journalists willing to participate in the march against drone strikes.
Flanked by international NGO Women for Peace, delegates of the American civil society and former US envoy Mary Ann Wright, Imran called the government’s lack of support for his peaceful march against the drone strikes “sorrowful”. He said a 60 member-delegation comprising international NGOs, media personnel and prominent anti-war American civil society members would participate in the peace march to express their solidarity with the victims of drone strikes and to raise a voice against the drone attacks.
He said foreign delegates participating in the march had also brought with them a petition signed by over 6,000 US citizens for restricting the drone strikes and it would be submitted to the US embassy in Pakistan. The PTI chief said he had had meetings with three major tribes of South Waziristan Agency including the Wazirs, Mehsuds, Burkis and Bhetanis, who not only assured security to foreigners, but also promised to arrange a warm welcome for the guests.
Asked why he had not chosen North Waziristan Agency for his march, Imran said when Wazir tribes in North Waziristan were contacted for their assurance regarding safety of foreigners in the rally, they warned of some isolated groups that might threaten the participants of the rally. Imran said all major issues of Pakistan would get settled on the day the government decided to quit America’s war against terror and stand by its tribesmen, adding that it was beyond comprehension who could have objections to the peaceful march on such an important issue.
“This is a symbolic peaceful march to raise the issue on an international level for which lives of our guests cannot be put under threat,” he added.
The PTI chief urged the government not to restrict visas of international citizens and journalists willing to participate in the peace march, saying such restrictions were against the will of the people. To a question regarding sacrilegious, controversial anti-Islam movie, Imran said some miscreants in the US and Europe were using the controversial movie to provoke Muslims and strong international measures should be adopted to restrict such acts.
PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the peace march would start from Islamabad’s Blue Area and would proceed towards Balkasar, Talagang, Mianwali and DI Khan on October 6. Qureshi said the rally would gather at Tank on October 7 to head towards South Waziristan, where a public meeting would be held at Kot Kai.
Former US envoy Mary Ann Wright also addressed the news conference, condemning the hateful movie as well as supporting the abolition of drone strikes in Tribal Areas. She held US President Obama responsible for these killings and said the people of Pakistan should stand up and launch strong protests against the drone attacks.
Govt planning to thwart PTI’s SWA march: Imran
