TAXILA: Reiterating his call for a long march on Islamabad any day after May 20, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has announced that the party will stage a sit-in in the capital that will continue until the announcement of a date for the next general elections.

He was addressing a power show of the PTI in Attock on Thursday. Former Punjab chief minister Usman Buzdar, former ministers Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Sheikh Rashid, Ali Muhammad Khan and Shehryar Afridi, former special assistants Zulfi Bukhari and Malik Ameen Aslam, former provincial ministers retired Col Muhammad Anwar and Syed Yawar Bukhari, MNA retired Maj Tahir Sadiq, Jamshaid Altaf, Abrarul Haq and a large number of party leaders were present on the occasion.

The former prime minister urged the people to join hands with the PTI for a march for an “independent Pakistan”. “Send your families if you cannot participate yourself due to the fear of losing your jobs,” he said while addressing government employees. He added that he was ready to face any consequences, whether he was killed or arrested.

Commenting on the country’s foreign policy, Mr Khan said every country looked at its own interests, but no ruler except Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had followed an independent policy, which hurt Pakistan’s interests. He claimed an official of the US administration had telephoned former president retired Gen Pervez Musharraf seeking support in the war against Afghan Taliban, warning that otherwise they would “bomb Pakistan back to the Stone Age”.

Says Islamabad sit-in to continue until announcement of elections

He further said the Biden administration had threatened Pakistan with dire consequences if the no-confidence motion against him would not succeed. He revealed he had informed every quarter concerned about the “foreign conspiracy” to act against it, but in vain. He lamented that he could not foil this “foreign plot” as it had the support of “local handlers”. Mr Khan alleged that the “mafia”, which was currently ruling the county, always had every honest officer and person killed for checking their corruption and thefts.

The PTI chief maintained that under his rule Pakistan was making progress in every economic and social field, adding that now the rupee and the stock exchange were slipping with every passing day.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2022