LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday announced that his party would take to the streets against Mohsin Naqvi’s appointment as Punjab’s caretaker chief minister, vowing that he would not accept a “corrupt” person in such a high-ranking post.
In a televised address, the former prime minister said he foresaw the appointment of people to top offices after the election of Naqvi as CM.
He said that the PTI will protest Naqvi’s appointment in Lahore and Rawalpindi tomorrow (Tuesday).
“When I was in power, I received a report about a man who tried the most to topple [PTI’s] government. His name was Mohsin Naqvi. The intelligence bureau also gave a report on his activities,” Khan said, expressing his concerns over the media mogul.
“Mohsin Naqvi will bring all those people who are our staunch opponents,” he added.
“What would be the reputation of a man whom Zardari takes as his son? Naqvi neither possesses the moral standards nor the impartiality,” Khan said.
The deposed premier lamented that all of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) verdicts came against the PTI. Khan was of the view that the names his party finalised for the slot of the caretaker Punjab chief minister would be accepted by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
Talking about the Toshakhana reference, he termed the case against him a ‘joke’.
Launching a broadside at the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), Khan said, “These people fear PTI’s popularity.” He reiterated that the PDM-led government wanted delay in election, adding that these people wanted their own umpires in the ECP.
Predicting his future disqualification, Khan claimed, “More cases will be registered against me after disqualification.” He also berated former president Asif Ali Zardari who, he said, was taking control in Sindh. He added, “The PDM-led government wanted to create a Sindh LG polls-like situation in the general election.”
The PTI chief, while presiding over the party’s consultative meeting, said it had been decided to stage a protest outside the ECP’s Punjab office. A petition would also be filed in court to challenge the appointment of the caretaker chief minister.
