KARACHI: Nishtar Park tragedy act of target killing, claims Imran
KARACHI, April 25: The chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, on Tuesday said meetings between former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif will be useless until they decided that military intervention will not be accepted in future and that there will be no more talks with the present military regime.
Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, he said if it was assured that courts, the election commission and the National Accountability Bureau would be free in future, his party was willing to support the proposed charter of democracy being prepared by the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz.
He felt that Pervez Musharraf would never doff his uniform, as it will not only end the politics of the Q-league but would also end the “career and politics” of Musharraf himself. He added that in such circumstances, the opposition should make it clear that there would be no more talks with the military regime.
Khan, who had also visited the office of the Sunni Tehreek before the press conference, claimed that the Nishtar Park tragedy was not act of terrorism but an incident of target killing, adding that people too were expressing doubts on it being a suicide attack.
“I have met those affected in the Nishtar Park tragedy and they believe that it was not terrorism but an act of targeted killing. They also believe that it was not a suicide attack,” he said, adding that the government was trying to get rid of the responsibility of the deadly incident in Karachi.
He said he was urged by the ST leadership to raise voice against the target killings of its leaders in Karachi. Khan said the government should listen to the affected people and take into consideration their concerns and worries.
“When the attackers and masterminds behind the attacks on President can be nabbed within a week, why can't perpetuators of the Nishtar Park tragedy be arrested and brought to justice,” he said, demanding an impartial probe into the incident.
He question that when military operations could be launched to establish the “writ of the government” in Balochistan and tribal areas, why can't the government take measures for maintaining law and order in Karachi, where people are being targeted on a daily basis.
The PTI chief also refuted government claims that economic prosperity was increasing and poverty was diminishing in Pakistan, adding that rather the difference between the income and prices of essential commodities was growing with each passing day.
“People would have thrown bricks at President and the Prime Minister had they made such claims of economic prosperity and alleviation of poverty before people in a democratic setup,” he observed.
He said poverty was the mother of many social evils, which was evident from the UNICEF’s survey. Citing the survey, he said the number of prostitutes in Lahore alone had exceeded 50,000, of which 10,000 were between the age of 10 and 11.
To a query, he said laws should be promulgated so that the army cannot be used against the citizens of Pakistan.
DIAGNOSTIC CENTRE: The Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre Lahore plans establishing a diagnostic centre in Karachi, said the SKMCHRC Chairman, Imran Khan, while speaking at a meeting at a local hotel on Tuesday. The performance, progress as well as future plans for the hospital were also discussed at the meeting.
A plot measuring 2,275 sq-yds in the Defence Housing Authority has been donated by the DHA for the diagnostic centre.
Imran Khan said besides the diagnostic centre, 20 acres of land had already been purchased from the government of Sindh for a hospital project as well, which will be located in Bin Qasim Town.—APP
