May 7, 2006	Sunday	Rabi-us-Sani 8, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, May 6: Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf Imran Khan on Saturday called for an independent judiciary and rule of law in the country, and asked the rulers to make themselves subservient to law.

Addressing the Islamabad Bar Council here on Saturday, he described absence of rule of law as the biggest problem of the third world including Pakistan.

He said the establishment of rule of law was very easy, but the rulers would have to make themselves subservient to the law of the land. “The rule of law can only be established by those who are not scared of an independent judiciary,” he remarked.

He said President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz have spent Rs700 million on their foreign trips in just six months. He said this was nothing but waste of public money as they failed to attract foreign investment or do any other significant thing for the country.

He said the leaders should set examples for the people and should make sacrifices before seeking the same from the masses. He demanded review of the decision to build GHQ on an area stretch over 2500 acres of land. He observed that there was no need for a jumbo cabinet with 134 people holding ministerial portfolios in a country where even basic amenities were not available to a large number of people.

He said the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the United Kingdom was close to that of 55 Islamic countries collectively, but the way of living of the rulers of the country was not as lavish as of the rulers in Pakistan.

He also called for bringing to an end the use of police force for political purposes and said the Public Safety Commission should be answerable to the Parliament.

Imran Khan termed the overseas Pakistanis an asset of the country and said the corrupt system was the main hurdle to overseas Pakistanis investment. He said that there would be no need to depend on IMF, if the overseas Pakistanis’ confidence was restored.

He said they were not satisfied with the law and order situation and the investment made by them in real estate goes waste when the land mafia grabs their property purchased in Pakistan. “This situation needs to be rectified,” he stressed.

He pointed out that the overseas citizens of China and India played a great role in economic boom of their respective countries.

He said Pakistan had been created in the name of Islam and an Islamic state ought to be a welfare state.

Replying to a question, he conceded that it was his mistake to support General Pervez Musharraf. He said General Musharraf during his initial days in power used to speak a lot about genuine democracy, accountability and devolution of power, which was something in line with his party’s manifesto.

Responding to another question, he criticized the decision to send army to Balochistan and Waziristan without the approval of the Parliament.

He lamented that Pakistan was a country which has a Prime Minister that did not enjoy the powers of the Chief Executive.

He announced that his party would start national membership campaign from May 15 followed by party elections after a couple of months. He said elections would be regularly held in the party in future.