Imran Khan announces PTI rally in Islamabad next week for PM's resignation

Published April 21, 2017
PTI Chairman Imran Khan addresses a press conference outside the National Assembly. ─ DawnNews
PTI Chairman Imran Khan addresses a press conference outside the National Assembly. ─ DawnNews

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan announced his party's intention to hold a rally in Islamabad next Friday to "demand Nawaz Sharif's resignation".

Speaking to reporters outside the National Assembly, Khan posed the question: "How will the PML-N confront the public after the comments made in the Supreme Court judgement?"

"I asked the PML-N supporters, what were you distributing sweets for yesterday? You should have read the full judgement," he said.

"It has never happened in Pakistan's history before that such comments were passed against a sitting prime minister."

"All five judges have raised questions asked by the PTI," he said, adding that the apex court had rejected all defences presented by the PM's counsel.

"Resign while you are being investigated," he urged the premier. "This is not an unusual demand."

Khan also questioned if it was possible for heads of institutions like the National Accountability Bureau to investigate the prime minister while he remained in power.

"If these institutions had been working, they would have stopped corruption already," he asserted.

Khan's announcement came a day after the Supreme Court's decision on the Panamagate case said it would constitute a Joint Investigation Team to probe the Sharif family's wealth.

What was initially hailed as a win by the PML-N later became an embarrassment for the party as its opposition touted the 2:3 split verdict — neither a clean chit, nor a disqualification — with a strongly-worded dissenting note by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa as an indication that the court had been unable to find Nawaz Sharif innocent.

Read more: Supreme Court gives reprieve to Sharif, but no clean chit

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
Updated 29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

It is clear that going after militant groups inside Afghanistan unilaterally presents its own set of difficulties.
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...