Imran Khan seeks early polls, wants military to intervene

International

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Islamabad, Apr 22: Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has sought intervention of the military establishment to ensure early elections otherwise he said his supporters will throw out the “imported government” after reaching the capital.

Addressing a rally of his Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf at Minar-i-Pakistan in Lahore on Thursday night, Khan lashed out at the new coalition government and those who brought it to power, news agency PTI reported.

In an indirect reference to the military establishment, Khan said, “Those who had committed this mistake of ousting my government should rectify it by holding fresh elections without any delay.” He also asked the people of Pakistan to wait for his call to reach the capital.

“Wait for my call when I will invite you to Islamabad. I am not giving a call just to the PTI but all Pakistanis. I want to make it clear that I don’t want confrontation,” he said in an hour-long speech.

While targeting his political opponents, Khan went on to say that those who would vote for these “traitors” in next elections would also be traitors.

Khan also reiterated his remarks about India’s independent foreign policy unlike that of Pakistan. “Hindustan’s foreign policy is for its people. How come our foreign policy can be for others,” he asked.

Khan had earlier praised India on a number of occasions for its independent foreign policy.

He rued that he was planning to import oil and wheat from Russia on 30 per cent concessional rates but his government was brought down through a planned conspiracy in which the US and local characters were involved.

The former premier also demanded that the Supreme Court probe the “letter gate” which would reveal a big conspiracy was made by the US to oust his government.

“I reject (prime minister) Shehbaz Sharif’s proposal of constitution of a commission to probe the letter,” he said.

Khan has accused US Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asia Donald Lu of threatening Pakistan’s ambassador to the US that he (Khan) must be ousted through a no-confidence motion if Pakistan wants good relations with the US.

The PTI chairman also targeted the country’s chief election commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja for what he called looking after the interests of the ruling PML-N. He said Raja should join the PML-N. The PTI’s foreign funding case is to be decided by the election commission in a month.

Khan also defended his selling gifts he received being premier from foreign heads of states. “Everything I bought from national treasury is on record. The money I got from the sale of gifts was used to mend roads leading up to my residence,” he said.

Pakistan’s newly-appointed information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Thursday claimed that Khan paid a meagre amount of 20 per cent retention money and made Rs 142 million by selling state gifts from the Toshakhana.

(PTI)