ISLAMABAD, Feb 26: Chief of Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan on Saturday announced launching of a nation-wide public mobilization campaign for restoration of complete democracy.
Presiding over the party's steering committee, Imran Khan asked political parties to unite for restoration of real democracy and end 'despotic' rule. The first public meeting, under the mass mobilization campaign, would be held at Shabqadar, Charsadda.
Later, speaking at a press conference, Imran Khan demanded holding of fresh polls in the presence of a neutral caretaker government and under the supervision of an independent election commission.
He rejected deals on the pretext of national reconciliation and said any political party that entered into a deal with the establishment would be exposed and its credibility would suffer.
Mr Khan demanded an end to army's role in politics and its immediate return to the barracks. He also opposed military action in Balochistan.
"The damage to Sui installations reflects a comprehensive failure of political and economic policies of the government," he said.
Similarly mega projects in Balochistan should not be initiated without the consent of all federating units, he added.
The PTI chief said a fake political system designed and crafted to perpetuate 'dictatorship,' created a sense of alienation and provided a breeding ground for insurgencies and discontent.
He demanded immediate arrest and prosecution of the culprits in Dr Shazia rape case. He said the party's steering committee felt that the present National Finance Commission (NFC) formula was outdated which if continued was likely to further fuel growing disparity in provincial per capita income. Referring to the government's claim that Rs500 million worth of weapons had been smuggled into Balochistan from neighbouring Afghanistan, he said this showed that the US occupation forces were allowing anti-Pakistan activities to emanate from Afghanistan.
Mr Khan rejected the government's claim of macro-economic stabilization by saying its impact had not trickled down to the masses. Unemployment is unprecedented, prices of utilities and essential items are on the rise besides as long as citizens do not have access to justice, their faith and sense of ownership in the system would be minimal, he added.