ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan has said the country is at risk of parochialism, as political instability and terrorism have brought the economy to the verge of collapse.

While expressing apprehe­nsion that the country was fa­­­­­­cing imminent threat of pa­­rochialism, Mr Khan said that people staged protest over terrorism in Balochistan.

He said PTI had been accused over the recent wave of terrorism, but the government then also claimed that terrorists came from across the border. Being a federal party, the PTI could tackle this grave situation as all other political parties were limited to their regions, Mr Khan asserted.

The ex-premier expressed these views on Friday after attending court proceedings in the NAB reference rela­ted to Bvlgari Jewellery set that he and his spouse allegedly retained from Toshakhana gifts at a throwaway price.

He said political parties could unite the nation, but it was an irony that the PTI which was the only party with countrywide presence was “being weakened”. He said those behind such moves were not concerned with the threats the country faces.

According to him, no one can invest while the country is suffering from terrorism.

The fragile economy was ‘the biggest challenge to the country’, he said. But intelligence agencies were targeting one political party, he said. He termed the Feb 8 ‘rigged’ election as the reason of political instability. He said there was no room for those who deserted the PTI at the time of need. However, those who stood firm with the party would be rewarded, he added.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2024