KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan said on Thursday that his party was ready to support the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and other opposition parties if they launch a movement against the government on the Panama Papers issue. He said the PPP had so far not contacted the PTI for launching an anti-government movement; however, his party was prepared to become part of any such movement against corruption in the country.

He expressed these views while talking to reporters on different occasions in the city where he arrived for a three-day visit.

Earlier after arriving in the city, he attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital in the DHA City. He launched a membership drive for his party in the district central and Lyari. He visited Imambargah Babul Ilm in North Nazimabad and the residence of a slain PTI worker, Fazal Rahim, in Patel Para to offer his condolences to his family. He also visited the residence of singer-turned-televangelist Junaid Jamshed who was killed recently in a plane crash and offered his condolences to his brother, Humayun Jamshed. He paid tribute to Junaid Jamshed.

Mr Khan said the biggest problem confronting the country was corruption. If the Panama Papers issue was not resolved his party would again take to the streets against the government, he added.

Answering a question, the PTI chief alleged that the current rulers of the country were incompetent and corrupt. He said because of corruption in the country the rich were getting richer and the poor poorer.

He said the PTI was being organised in Karachi and hoped that the party would give surprising results in the city, including Lyari, in next elections. He said the Sindh police needed reforms as people had no faith in them. If the police started discharging their responsibilities there would be no need of the Rangers in the city.

Mr Khan appreciated the role of Rangers and said there was a remarkable decrease in the crime rate in Karachi because of the ongoing Karachi operation.

During his visit to Imambargah Babul Ilm he met Maulana Shahinsha Hussain Naqvi who affixed an Imam Zamin to his arm and informed him about the problems being faced by Shias in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2016