LAHORE: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) will support the PML-N for granting powers to the Rangers without conditions in Sindh to ensure that the targeted killings are stopped and the corrupt held accountable, says Imran Khan.

The PTI supremo was speaking to media persons after a meeting with party MPAs in the Punjab Assembly here on Friday. He also spoke to journalists earlier on his arrival at the Lahore airport and held an informal talk with senior journalists besides speaking at a Christmas ceremony organised by the PTI minority wing and third convocation of the Namal College, Mianwali, at a local hotel.

Mr Khan said the Sindh Assembly had put conditions on the Rangers powers to execute its ongoing operation in Sindh because the MQM wanted to strengthen its militant wing and the PPP was trying to save the skin of corrupt people in its fold.

“The political parties in Sindh are afraid of the Rangers’ operation,” he said and added that the PTI acknowledged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s will for the launch of operation in Sindh. However, he said, now was Nawaz Sharif’s real test as it remained to be seen whether the operation would continue with full force or lose steam.

Mr Khan said the PTI opposed Pakistan’s inclusion in the Saudi-led military alliance fearing it could create an anti-Iran impression. He said the issues of this alliance and Rangers’ powers be presented in the National Assembly for a debate and consensus.

He said the issue of extension in the service of the Chief of Army Staff should be dealt with according to rules and regulations. He supported that the government should hold dialogue with the Taliban whose leadership had gone to Afghanistan.

He said the Sharif brothers were extravagantly spending public resources on their Jatti Umra residence and announced that party MPAs would continue raising this issue in the assembly on a daily basis. He said the PTI would play its effective role as opposition in the Punjab Assembly.

Criticising the Metro train project, he said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had not bothered to take the assembly into confidence before launching it.

Speaking at the Christmas event, the PTI chief said no religion allowed extremism but love and respect for humanity. He stressed that there should be no discrimination against people on the basis of religion, sect or wealth. He strongly condemned the incidents wherein non-Muslim girls were forced to marry and then to become Muslim.

He said he also raised the issue of discrimination against minorities in India and urged Indian premier Narendra Modi to check discrimination because it impacts on the minorities in Pakistan as well.

The PTI wanted to create a “New Pakistan” where there should be no sectarianism, and there’s justice and respect for human beings.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2015