LAHORE: Lamenting the country is reeling under rule of fear and intimidation, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Secretary General Salman Akram Raja has urged people across party lines and provinces to “stand up and fight lawlessness for the sake of our children.”

Speaking at a meeting at the Lahore Press Club on Wednesday, Mr Raja claimed that the Constitution of Pakistan was being desecrated and the state as well as the society had just abandoned some 40 per cent youth of 15 years age bracket.

He said that 40 per cent youth had been deprived of education facilities meaning they had been shunted out of any competition in the society. “There is no other option but to fight the battle for the sake of the younger generation,” he said.

The PTI secretary general said the GDP growth did not show any development until the poor labourers would get jobs, their children get education and health facilities. He said the labour organisations’ all demands were genuine and the government must come up to accept and implement them.

Mr Raja said that he had been implicated in several cases, including murder cases, and could anytime be denied bail and put behind bars. He said dictator Ayub Khan had also launched such plans that resulted in the disintegration of the country. “We all need to gather at one common agenda for the survival of humanity in the country,” he urged the masses.

Salman Raja urges parties to ‘stand up and fight lawlessness’

JAPAN VISIT: The PTI alleges Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s recent official visit to Japan has incurred extravagant expenses, which amount to a blatant misuse of public resources.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, PTI leader Shayan Bashir said reports suggested the initial budget for this trip was allowed at Rs100 million but later it was increased to Rs160 million.

“Public money has been spent on luxury hotels, expensive gifts, costly vehicles, unnecessary staff, and even the services of a makeup artist. Even before the outcomes of the visit is presented, millions of rupees have been spent on an advertising campaign to portray the trip as a success,” it said.

The PTI leader said the display of expensive clothes, jewelry and watches during the visit reflected the government’s detachment from the struggles of the common people and amounted to mocking the plight of the poor.

“The PTI demands a transparent audit of the trip’s expenses and calls upon the authorities to explain to the people why their tax money was squandered in this manner,” the statement added.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2025