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QUETTA: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, during his visit to Balochistan on Sunday, threatened to launch a country-wide protest if the government failed to address his party’s five demands.
The PTI chief urged the government to reduce petroleum prices, eliminate taxes on gas and power supply, improve management of national institutions and pay salaries to employees of Pakistan Steel Mills.
"Accept these demands and don't force us to come on roads," the PTI Chief told flag-waving supporters in Dera Murad Jamali area of Balochistan.
Imran demanded a further reduction Rs5 in price of petrol and Rs20 in price of diesel to benefit the citizens.
“The government suffers a loss of Rs700 billion at per anum because of tax theft,” he lamented while quoting the statement of former finance minister Shaukat Tareen.
The PTI chief demanded of the government to reform the Federal Board of Revenue and bring back the plundered wealth from foreign countries.
He pointed out that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had stated that millions of dollars plundered wealth was lying in Switzerland. "Bring back this money and compensate the down-trodden masses of Pakistan," Imran demanded.
"This is democracy not monarchy, you must declare assets," he said, asking the premier to declare his assets.
Moreover, Imran assured the people of Balochistan that if PTI comes into power then no excessive force will be used against the masses.
"Security forces will not open fire and force would not be used against people who demand their rights," Imran assured the PTI supporters who had arrived from various parts of the province.
He lamented the fact that despite supplying gas to other parts of the country, many areas of Balochistan were still without this basic facility.
"I came to know about injustices with smaller provinces when PTI came into power in KP," he said.
Imran said that instead of taking his younger brother on foreign tours, Nawaz Sharif should take chief ministers of Khyber Pashtoonkhwa and Balochistan along with himself.
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Comments (42) Closed
Feb 07, 2016 07:25pm
I have lost all of my hope from PTI and Imran Khan must learn politics before coming into politics.
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Feb 07, 2016 07:34pm
First time i am seeing such a massive rally and ebullience political activity in Balochistan. Imran khan is no doubt becoming a leader who is integrating the whole Pakistan from Karachi to Khayber.
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Feb 07, 2016 07:36pm
Very valid demands. Now i would say this is actual opposition and very genuine one. Very good Imran people are with you if you keep raising the basic necessities of common people.
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Feb 07, 2016 07:40pm
This demand is voice of common man. Very good and genuine opposition. Why petrol is not cheap as compare to international rate? Love you Imran keep going like this.
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Feb 07, 2016 07:44pm
Unfortunately there are too many speeches from politicians but not enough positive actions to solve general public problems. Why don't politicians debate nation's problems in national assembly like most civilized countries. It looks like politicians running for elections all the time. Why there is no debate in assembly where opposition can force actions for corrective actions. Unemployment problems no new industries, lack of electricity, clean water and healthcare. Now sale of PIA issue, cases against many crooks hording nations money buying real state in Dubai and London. Time to show political acumen and know how to raise pandomonium in assembly and get things done. Tax payers paying salary but many MNA do not bother showing up in the assembly. That is democracy is the best revenge against people of Pakistan. Poor keep suffering and political drama continues 365 days a year
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Feb 07, 2016 08:17pm
His demands are reasonable, but his tactics are not. The practice of dharnas achieves nothing other than polarization.
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Feb 07, 2016 08:36pm
National Assembly and senate are right places to raise this
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Feb 07, 2016 08:44pm
Both PIA and PSM are huge loss making entities for years now as a result of political hiring, corruption and negligence by multiple governments, primarily PPP. Govt has injected billions already to PSM in last three years while giving targets to PSM to improve monthly efficiency. Breakeven efficiency of PSM is around 60% of capacity while it runs at less than 10% capacity despite injection of more and more money. Why the govt should spend money of us, the tax payers, on these corrupt and inefficient organisations? Politics and personal agenda is winning vs national interest here in case of PTI. What have we achieved in KPK in 3 years afterall? Both PIA and PSM should be privatised.
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Feb 07, 2016 08:47pm
IK a True voice of common man...............
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Feb 07, 2016 08:53pm
Imran threatened to hold and keep the whole country to ransom if the government failed to address his five demands. What authority he has for it apart from hooliganistic blackmail? Is he any where near the savior the nation needs to get out of the horrible terror? Can his road blocks and abominable Dharnas be the magic to catapult him to the high pedestal he is dreaming without the slightest of inkling about its locating co-ordinates?
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Feb 07, 2016 09:21pm
Everyone supports 'privatisation' but don't seem to realise that it's failure of elected governments to manage these institutions efficiently. Privatisation is not the answer to everything especially with secret investors. Easiest way for powerful to increase power is through acquiring national institutes at throw away prices.
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Feb 07, 2016 09:31pm
I have one demand from Imran Khan. KP has the highest line losses in Pakistan. More than 40 percent steal electricity there. Federal government has to pay around 100 Billion Rupees to bail KP bills. There are many villages with air conditioners but with no meters. As a result as a Resident of Sindh and Punjab has to pay extra on their bills to pay for the free riders in KP. So my demand to Imran Khan is that he should take action against Electricity Theft in his governed province. His Party run province has the worst tax and bill connection by any standards. Kindly improve it.
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Feb 07, 2016 10:43pm
IK and protest!
what is new?
if you have great ideas but you don't know how to present and executive them, then your ideas are useless.
regards
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Feb 07, 2016 10:52pm
Imran and Kejriwal of Aaam Admi party are on the same page as both have become irrelevant doing dharnas and protests all the time.
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Feb 07, 2016 11:06pm
What's the basis of the amount of reduction in gasoline and diesel prices? Have they been calculated by experts and the Pro or Con impact on the economy analyzed by pertinent economists or it is just another of Imran Khan's brilliant ideas? Or, he just had to say some thing to be in the lime light. And, as far as Balochistan and the on going oppression there all these decades; he just woke up about it NOW. How curious. But, then that is my Imran.
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Feb 07, 2016 11:29pm
When or if you win the elections in 2018, then try to implement your demands till then try to make KPK example province. If you can't do any thing constructive in your province then keep quit, people are more wise than you in casting their votes.
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Feb 07, 2016 11:37pm
We all remember how your protests worked put to.
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Feb 07, 2016 11:40pm
@AK~ And he will learn politics from Nawaz or Zardari?
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Feb 07, 2016 11:41pm
Oh No. He is back!
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Feb 07, 2016 11:58pm
@Khanra that is his target... polarization and agitation
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Feb 08, 2016 12:19am
Now Imran Khan follows right track . petrol prices should be reduced to Rs.45/
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Feb 08, 2016 12:24am
IK is 100% right in his demands, but why not making noise in the assembly where it makes more sense? You got enough strength in the assemblies to make them accept your point...
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Feb 08, 2016 12:32am
@Malik Pervez Khattak has said many times, electricity theft is done in connivance with WAPDA. He also said give us control over WAPDA within KP & we will curb electricity theft.
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Feb 08, 2016 01:05am
He has nothing in his box except dharna and threat. How much government has to pay from the tax money to run PIA and PSM which are heavily over staffed.
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Feb 08, 2016 01:24am
Please take care of young doctors protests in KP first. Do something good in KP and stop counting on some miracle that will will befall PMLN government.
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Feb 08, 2016 01:34am
@Arslan
Don't blame the government if you get cold just because u went out without proper clothing. PIA's failure is because of corruption of by PIA employees. If you fill the planes with travelers without tickets, how PIA even break-even.
Who will travel PIA if PIA staff is rude to travelers?
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Feb 08, 2016 02:13am
@Kashif Khan If they sell PIA and PSM, do you think the new owners will have superior management planning and much more skilled and hard working dedicated workers to make it a turn around, making profits overnight. I believe, new owners will buy national assets at about 20% of the value (80% loss to nation right there), than they will put kick-ars tough managers and after a year start laying off dead-wood, non productive supervisors and workers. Thats how they'll make money. That would be a slap on the face, that look you could not do it, we bought it a rock bottom price, made a turn around and now laughing all the way to the bank. Get it?
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Feb 08, 2016 02:36am
@Umer Salahuddin Good point. My suggestions for PIA: Government should not sell it. cut over-staffing, send home non-productive works and retire many managers, need more workers, less supervisors/managers (pencil pushers with collecting 8 hrs salary working only 1 hour). Tell PIA people you are service industry, not bosses to customer so change you attitude or simply quit your job. My suggestions for PSM - Start downstream industries, making consumer products, nuts, bolts, sheeting, panels, make 20 small plants where mother PSM can supply base materials to foundries/molding companies etc. Make all kinds of machanical, electrical parts, panels, consumer and industrial finished products. Transfer manpower from mother PSM. Hire and train unemployed workers, college graduate, engineers as apprentice. Ask armed forces to lend their officers as Managers to run these small production plants for 5 years, at war footing, so results can be achieved in time. But all this needs dedicated leaders.
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Feb 08, 2016 02:40am
@Arslan Someone told me, about a political leader who says, 'It is our turn to make money'. Now you know, what to expect?
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Feb 08, 2016 02:43am
IK must know by now that in a democracy opposition parties cannot make demands and/or use threats, that happens to be the law of the jungle. With such an attitude displayed by him time and again, he should know that he can never attain that level of support required to form a government.
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Feb 08, 2016 04:30am
@AK~ I have lost all of my hope from PTI and Imran Khan must learn politics before coming into politics.
Dear simply if Nawaz Sharif is not working in favor of Pakistan than why blame IK for everything its just your thoughts mind it.
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Feb 08, 2016 04:46am
@Yes Man Why don't politicians debate nation's problems in national assembly like most civilized countries.
This is because the key ministers and the PM do not attend the Parliament sessions, so the opposition has no other way than to protest it.
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Feb 08, 2016 04:48am
@Ahmad "National Assembly and senate are right places to raise this"
only if the ministers and especially the PM (since he makes all the decisions in Pakistan politics) attends the NA sessions! The matter of the fact is he does not!
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Feb 08, 2016 04:51am
@Yes Man More importantly, the likely buyer of PIA will be directly or indirectly related to the most important current govt official.
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Feb 08, 2016 04:55am
IK please do not block roads. You have representatives at all the forums where demands are to be raised. Not on roads. Please.
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Feb 08, 2016 06:06am
@Umer Salahuddin ----this thinking deserves shareef brothers to treat Pakistani people as they are now------------IK is just ruining his time to reconstruct the country and to eleminate corruption.
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Feb 08, 2016 06:11am
@Proud Pakistani ----this is the reason why Shareef brothers keep people illiterate
so they wont think right and remain like poor slaves forever-----IK is trying hard to change this and slaves do not appriciate ,so stay poor and helpless.!!
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Feb 08, 2016 06:24am
@Ahmad NS govt doesn't pay attention to what is discussed in assemblies. Voices of opposition are drowned in ridicule and hooliganism of govt members. Unfortunately, in Pakiatan going to the streets is the only way to get attention of the government.
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Feb 08, 2016 06:31am
@Lucky Star Upper management of PIA serves at the pleasure of sitting federal government which is PML-N at this time. So PML-N are responsible for all current corruption since the time they assumed power in 2013. Please tell us What have they done to curb corruption?
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Feb 08, 2016 06:42am
@AK~ .. I will be happy if you improve your attitude to +ve. IK now is polished politician and great leader.
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Feb 08, 2016 02:57pm
This is good. Remember every thing you want achieved before starting riots. And when you come to power, you do all those things exactly like you want them. !! Just stop being utterly useless.
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Feb 09, 2016 05:00am
This individual threatens and then puts his fanatical supporters in the line of fire whilst he is safe and sound in his bulletproof container furnished like a five star hotel he is a pied piper mesmerizing the people he is no Bhutto who marched with the common people and suffered with them people should remember the common saying "if it's too good to be true it is."
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