HARIPUR: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf provincial president Pervez Khattak on Friday said that only honest leadership could steer the country out of socioeconomic and governance crises.

“A country cannot progress until dishonest leaders are there,” the PTI leader told party workers in Abbottabad’s main bazaar as part of preparations for the ongoing ‘Haqeeqi Azadi March’.

Mr Khattak said the nation stood with PTI chief Imran Khan and would show the world that the former prime minister fought for their rights, including ‘real’ freedom.

He said the final round of the PTI’s march on Islamabad would begin shortly.

The PTI leader said Mr Imran’s struggle was meant to turn the country into a true welfare state and the entire nation supported that cause.

He said the country was on the way of economic development and was gaining the ‘lost’ glory in the world during the Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government, but its ouster and the formation of the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s government in the centre blocked the process.

“The current rulers are opposed to transparency and honesty in matters of governance, so they’ve derailed the process of national progress through a conspiracy,” he said.

Mr Khattak said the PTI would form the next federal government after sweeping general elections.

He said political rivals had always accused Mr Imran of being a political novice and without knowhow about governance, but the PTI chairman proved them wrong through his policies.

The PTI leader said the current ‘imported’ federal government had the ‘experience’ of plundering the country’s wealth and getting off scot-free.

He said his party was committed to ensuring the punishment of the ‘corrupt’ rulers and recovery of the taxpayers’ money from them.

Mr Khattak said the result of the PTI’s long march would come out shortly.

Acting provincial governor Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani, who was also in attendance, said the people should join Mr Imran’s struggle for their real freedom.

He also said the PTI government had launched massive development work across Hazara division.

The PTI chief also addressed the gathering via a video link.

The other speakers included former provincial governor Shah Farman, former federal minister Omar Ayub Khan, former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaisar, provincial ministers Shahram Tarakai and Atif Khan, MNA Uzma Riaz Jadoon and MPAs Akbar Ayub Khan, Momina Basit and Qalandar Khan Lodhi.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2022