PESHAWAR: Ousted prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Friday rejected the impression that his party has done a deal with the establishment and said his party would again take to the streets after six days and this time with complete readiness.
In a press conference, flanked by KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and PTI leader Atif Khan a day after the violent long march came to an abrupt end, Khan said he witnessed anger among the masses after the police crackdown on party leaders across major cities.
“I had observed the anger among the people against the police after what they did to stop the march, and there was a fear that if we continue to march as announced, the country would plunge into chaos and anarchy.”
The PTI chairman slammed the government for the “brutal” crackdown against the protesters, saying Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah deployed police officers of his choice to crack down on the PTI workers.
The PTI chairman said he would devise a plan within the next six days and take to the streets once again.
“I am appealing to the entire nation: I have started a jihad against the government. The Supreme Court has an important role to play in this regard,” the ousted prime minister said.
The PTI chairman added his party would be completely prepared before taking to the streets this time, adding that the PTI seeks the apex court’s protection.
He also warned the government of repercussions if it implements the same strategy of launching a crackdown in the next phase of the march.
“Our people will not be arrested from their houses […] people were under the wrong impression that protesting was their democratic right,” the ex-premier said.
Defending KP CM Mahmood for his participation in the long march, Khan said the PTI leader was a citizen of Pakistan who reserves the right to protest against the government.
The PTI chairman defended Mahmood after Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the federal government had decided to take legal action against him.
Moving on, the PTI chairman said his party would challenge the recently introduced electoral reforms in the National Assembly would be challenged in the Supreme Court.
Khan said he invited the then-opposition to hold talks with his government on EVM and the matter of voting rights for overseas Pakistanis, but his offer was declined repeatedly.
The ousted prime minister added that the people who bank on “fake votes” are afraid of the electronic voting machines. “If India conducts elections via EVMs, then why not us. All the elections here are controversial.” He said.
