Pakistan Today

Imran threatens street protests

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has said his party will take to streets if the courts failed to provide justice regarding poll rigging and did not withdraw increase in the electricity tariff.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday after the meeting of core committee of his party, Khan questioned whether or not the elements involved in rigging the polls would be held accountable. He said it had become difficult for a common man to get justice.

He said the PTI would hold consultations with the opposition parties before launching protest demonstrations against hike in power rates. Instead of withdrawing the hike according to the decision of the Supreme Court, he said, the government had further increased it which would bring a storm of inflation.

The PTI chairman asked the government to check theft and other corruption in power companies instead of increasing prices of electricity.

Imran Khan opposed the appointment of Ch Qamar Zaman and said the new NAB chairman had been appointed by the PML-N and the PPP after a compromise and he would not be able to take up mega corruption cases for accountability. He said the PTI would go to the Supreme Court against his appointment.

He said the former NAB chairman had stated that if daily corruption of Rs 12 billion is stopped in Pakistan, it could be turned into a welfare state.

Imran Khan referred to the FBR figure that three million wealthy people were not paying due taxes and only 0.7 million Pakistanis were paying direct taxes. He criticised the government for exempting the wealthy and burdening the common man through indirect taxes.

The PTI chairman said the verification of thumb impressions in two constituencies had proved that the general elections were rigged and that was why they had appealed the Supreme Court to order verification of thumb impressions in four constituencies.

He said now the election commission, NADRA and the scientific foundation were holding each other responsible. He demanded an independent investigation into the whole affairs as to who was responsible for providing the magnetic ink and bringing him to task.

He said election tribunals were required to decide cases in 120 days but they had yet not started functioning in Punjab. Imran Khan supported the Taliban’s demand of stopping drone attacks in the country, adding that the militants were ready for ceasefire but for that drone strikes must end.

Exit mobile version