BATKHELA: PTI chairman Imran Khan on Monday said his party would take around one million people to Islamabad on Nov 2 as part of the Islamabad lockdown plan over the Panama Papers issue.
Addressing a public meeting in Sakhakot area of Malakand division, the PTI chief said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would have to either present himself for accountability over the Panama issue or resign in the face of PTI protest.
“Our Nov 2 protest in Islamabad is a match between those fighting for Pakistan’s future and those bent on looting it,” he said.
Mr. Imran said the PTI had made the Islamabad lockdown plan for the country’s better future.
Asks PM to either present himself for accountability or step down
He said Pakistan was endowed with huge resources but its rulers plundered them and launder ill-gotten money abroad.
The PTI chief said if Pakistan had honest leadership, the people from abroad would come here for employment.
He said the people were ready to join the Nov 2 Islamabad lockdown.
“This match will decide we (people) want Quaid’s Pakistan or let the country descend into chaos,” he said.
Mr. Imran said Nov 2 would be a decisive event for the country and that the people would cross all hurdles to reach Islamabad for it.
He said the prime minister would have to either present himself for accountability or resign from the office and if that didn’t happen, the PTI would make it difficult for him to run the government.
The PTI chief said Nawaz Sharif would be held accountable for his corruption.
He said the PML-N was threatening PTI activists with use of force.
Mr. Khan told the Punjab police not to involve himself in unconstitutional steps and said the protest was their constitutional right.
He asked them to follow in the footsteps of the KP police and stay away from politics.
Mr. Khan warned the government would be responsible for any mishap if force was used against peaceful protesters.
He said Sharifs were to blame for the Model Town killings.
“During our Nov 2 protest, we’ll leave routes leading to hospitals open and will neither hinder the people’s movement nor cause inconvenience to diplomats,” he said.
Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2016