FAISALABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan has said that Americans have now become powerful enough to tighten the noose around the neck of the “imported government” and compel it to accept its orders, including making it subservient to India and stopping it from raising its voice for Kashmiris and Palestinians.

He was addressing a charged crowd at a public meeting at Dhobi Ghaat Ground on Sunday.

Referring to Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s scheduled visit to the US and his meetings with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the former prime minister said he [Bilawal] would make a request for dollars and warn the Americans that Imran Khan might return if they did not release the aid.

“Bilawal will try to frighten Americans using my name,” he said.

Claiming that the “imported government” has been installed to make Pakistan subservient to the US, Mr Khan said the stooges that were part of the conspiracy to topple his government would never be able to speak up freely for Pakistan in front of their foreign masters. He said this government would not be allowed to buy petrol and gas from Russia and Iran at cheaper rates.

Asks supporters to ensure ‘justice is done’ in case something happens to him

He said a large number of people, including members of minority communities, would reach Islamabad in response to his call after May 20 with conviction that Pakistanis would never accept the slavery of US. Announcing that he would give the call for the march between May 20 and 31, Mr Khan said Pakistanis would demand elections so that they could decide about their future and achieve “real independence”.

The PTI chairman reiterated that the conspirators had now hatched a conspiracy to “eliminate” him.

Noting that no “powerful killer” has ever been arrested and held accountable in the history of Pakistan, including those who were involved in the assassination of Liaquat Ali Khan, judicial murder of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and those behind Gen Ziaul Haq’s plane crash, the former PM said he had recorded a video and named all those involved in the conspiracy hatched against him.

“If I am hurt, the video will be released with a hope that people will help me get justice,” he said and added nations that do not ensure justice eventually get shattered.

The PTI chairman asked the people to make four promises: they would ensure that justice is done to him and the country after watching his recorded video [to be released in case something happens to him]; never accept slavery of anyone; never vote a party whose leaders’ wealth and properties are abroad; and never vote “lotas” (turncoats).

Referring to the heart attack suffered by Dr Rizwan and Dr Nauman Asghar, Mr Khan claimed that both the FIA officers had been poisoned. “I will tell the nation about a poison that can be mixed in a meal to cause heart attack to a targeted person,” he said.

Mr Khan urged the Supreme Court to take a suo motu action and investigate the death of Dr Rizwan and heart attack suffered by Dr Nauman because both the officers were investigating the Rs24 billion money laundering cases against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his son Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz.

He said the father and son duo had immediately changed the officers investigating their cases in FIA after coming to power and added that they were also facing Rs8 billion cases being investigated by NAB.

Mr Khan said President Dr Arif Alvi had written a letter to the Chief Justice of Pakistan about the cipher, informing him that US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu had called the Pakistani ambassador and threatened that Imran government should be toppled through the no-confidence motion otherwise Islamabad should be ready to face the consequences. He said the official had assured the envoy that the US would forgive Pakistan if the PTI government was removed.

“Who are the Americans to forgive Pakistanis or not,” Imran Khan asked and added that the sovereign Pakistani nation would reject the “imported government” and earn “real independence” by marching on Islamabad. “It is better to die than accept slavery.”

Mr Khan said the conspirators should now tell whether they were able to effectively handle the serious economic crisis prevailing in Pakistan as the value of rupee is falling, stock market is crashing and inflation is increasing with each passing day. “If media will go out in the public, it will only listen two words `thieves and traitors’,” he said.

Stating that most lotas were seen coming from Faisalabad, Mr Khan said he would not visit the city again if any lota won an election from there.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2022