June 21, 2007	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 05, 1428

ISLAMABAD, June 20: Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf Imran Khan has said that the National Assembly speaker’s move to forward a reference filed by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) against him to the Election Commission (EC) would only strengthen his resolve to fight usurpers and terrorists who were holding the Pakistani nation hostage.

Speaker National Assembly Chaudhry Ameer Hussain on Wednesday had forwarded the reference filed by the MQM against Mr Khan to the EC.

The Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf chief said he would fight more vigorously against politicians provoking aggression and use of force.

He said the present rubberstamp National Assembly had only served the interests of a military dictator and was only fit for corrupt and turn-coats politicians.

He said that an independent EC was vital for holding free and fair elections in the country and alleged that the government was planning to rig the upcoming polls.

Mr Khan regretted that President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s long rule of almost eight years had made Pakistan stand in line with 12 most failed states of the world. “Today Pakistan is being bracketed with failed states such as Somalia, Chad and Afghanistan,” he said.