LAHORE, Nov 30: Tehrik-i-Insaaf Chairman Imran Khan on Friday appealed to the Pakistanis, especially students, to unite in the fight for the restoration of democracy and reinstatement of judges.

“God has given us an opportunity to change our destiny. Today, thanks to the chief justice and the media, we have a chance to change the direction of this country,” the PTI chief said in his opening remarks at a convention at Ichhra his party had arranged to mobilise the youth.

Reiterating his call for all political parties to boycott the elections, Khan clarified he wanted the nation, especially students, to unite not behind the PTI but behind the cause of democracy and judiciary.

The convention, which took place at an open space available on rent, was held amidst a heavy police presence with three dozen or so officers waiting at the entrance.

In spite of this, Khan raised his voice to denounce the police and said: “Pakistani police don’t catch criminals, they protect them,” before turning his ire to former chief minister Pervaiz Elahi.

Khan claimed that Pervaiz Elahi had used Rs180 billion of taxpayers money for his television advertising campaign which extolled the virtues of his own administration. “For this abuse alone, he should be in jail,” he said.

During his speech, the PTI chief also launched a scathing attack on PCO judges.

“They aren’t judges. We don’t accept them,” he said while calling for their total boycott.

Khan also used the occasion to quote influential leaders from the past to condemn Musharraf. He cited Winston Churchill’s famous words, “The power of the executive to cast a man into prison without formulating any charge known to the law, and particularly to deny him the judgment of his peers, is in the highest degree odious and is the foundation of all totalitarian government”.

Later, he quoted Abraham Lincoln, (“someone whom I know Musharraf is found of quoting,” he said) in reference to Musharraf’s Nov 3 address to the nation), “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time”.

Tehrik-i-Insaaf supporters maintained a high level of vocal support and shouted slogans lionising their leader, such as “Imran hum sab tere jazbe ke saath hain” and “Hum tere janisar beshamar”.

Towards the end of his speech, Khan offered an olive branch to People’s Party leader Benazir Bhutto, saying “I would go around and ask everyone to forgive all those corruption cases which she’s afraid of, if she joins us in boycotting the elections”.

Earlier, speaking to Dawn, Khan stated he was happy with the emergence of non-aligned student movements, and did wish to co-opt them for Tehrik-i-Insaaf: “As a student body, all I want them to do is fight for democracy and the rule of law which means fighting for Pakistan.”

On the subject of his experiences in jail, Khan was dismissive, stating: “when I came into politics, it was for the long run. So as long as I live I will fight for a genuine democratic structure and rule of law.”

When asked whether his close relationship with PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif was at odds with his stance of justice for all, Khan said: “If his stance today is correct, then anyone standing on that line, I’m with him. That is really the divide now in Pakistan. It’s not liberal, fundamentalist, corrupt or not corrupt. The only one divide is genuine democracy and standing for the judiciary. If anyone is on that side, I’m with him.”