SAHIWAL: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan wants President Donal Trump to ban US visa for Pakistanis as well so that “we can focus on fixing our country”.

Addressing a public gathering at Zafar Ali Stadium here on Sunday, the PTI chief said that best brains wanted to leave the country because of corruption and bad governance. “The day we bring back the merit system all our best people will return and work for the betterment of this country.”

Criticising the prime minister, he said Nawaz Sharif had earned money from Pakistan but spent it abroad. “His businesses are abroad, his children are abroad, but he is the prime minister of Pakistan. He even goes abroad for medical check-up.”

Mr Khan praised Iran for its move to stop Iranian visa for the Americans in reaction to Trump’s immigration bar. “Iran is an independent nation and we need to become like them”.

He warned the Indian government against playing with the water distribution treaty and criticised the PM for his ambition to open up trade with India to “destroy Pakis­tani economy”.

The public meeting was also addressed by Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid, PTI vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Ijaz Chaudhry and Rai Hasan Nawaz.

The attendance was low as the PTI’s local cadre marred by internal differences failed to bring a sizeable number of activists and supporters to the venue.

A party leader told Dawn that most of those in attendance were from neighbouring districts. The attendance of female supporters was markedly thin, although the organisers had made a separate arrangement from them.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2017