Imran Khan breathes fire at Punjab appointee
LAHORE: Imran Khan, the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and a former prime minister, has decided to protest the election of Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi as interim chief minister of Punjab. He has announced that nationwide demonstrations will begin on Tuesday (today), branding the new appointment “an enemy of PTI.”
We won’t approve of an interim chief minister who is ‘corrupt. The PTI leader announced to a news conference on Monday via a video link that “we would hold a series of protests in all the cities of Pakistan.” The first protest will be held in Lahore on Tuesday (today), followed by one in Multan on Wednesday, Faisalabad on Thursday and then on every day in other cities.”
The former premier also revealed that the PTI would approach the superior courts against Naqvi’s appointment and the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) governors for not announcing a date for elections in their respective provinces.
Calling him an enemy of PTI, Imran said Naqvi was “very close” to Asif Zardari and that the PPP co-chairman called him “his son”.He claimed that Naqvi was part of a team involved in the “regime change operation”, adding that the mastermind of the “plan” was former COAS General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa. Imran alleged that Naqvi had been “actively conspiring” against the then PTI government and met various stakeholders and political parties to make the “operation” successful. Moreover, Naqvi had made a plea bargain with NAB and returned millions of rupees, proving that he was corrupt. Hence, he does not qualify for the top position in Punjab,” he said. How could a person with a chequered history be appointed as an interim chief minister?” he questioned.
The PTI chairman claimed that the ECP had deliberately chosen Naqvi to target his party, saying “Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja is a biased and partial man, as he always passed verdicts against the PTI”. The CEC has been exposed before the nation after the appointment of Naqvi,” he added.
Imran stated that morality was the cornerstone of democracy and pointed out that previous Western leaders have resigned after making minor errors to demonstrate their honesty.
He clarified that the country’s interim structure was in place to ensure free and fair elections. “Neutral individuals are appointed for this purpose. Four candidates with immaculate reputations were officially forth by my party for the position of CM of Punjab, and we believed they would be approved by the PDM government. As Azam is a very respectable person in the province, the JUI-F had suggested the name Azam Khan for K-P, and the PTI immediately accepted it.
The opposition in Punjab had suggested the names of those individuals who were their ‘faithful men. They certainly aren’t impartial or neutral. Therefore, it was useless to hold elections in a situation where people were selected to such crucial posts in a prejudiced and partial manner. In the past, whenever injustice was committed, the country experienced the greatest consequences, which also led to its dissolution, Imran recalled.
The PTI chairman made personal reference to himself when he claimed that the current “imported rulers” were obstructing a “popular leader” in order to “satisfy their ego.” The PTI was working to help the nation escape its economic turmoil.Imran asked the populace to express their opposition to the ECP’s choice of Naqvi as interim CM of Punjab and to do it peacefully.
Azam Swati, a top PTI official, said that interim Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi was a “certified criminal” in the meantime. “The nation laughs at his appointment.” Speaking to the media on Monday outside the PTI chairman’s home in this city, Swati said he wanted to inform the establishment that all the institutions at the moment were “dysfunctional.”
“They (institutions) can be revived if they are held responsible or if our new military leadership makes sure that they operate within the bounds of the law and the Constitution, which would bring prosperity to the nation.” Today, the courts and Federal Board of Revenue are not functioning while millions of dollars are being smuggled across the border while people were not getting justice in the country.”
He urged army chief General Asim Munir to make “history” by “holding the armed forces accountable to the law and the Constitution”. Neither] 600,000 men (army) nor (a) nuclear power can save this country. Only your (COAS) determination to make the armed forces subservient to the law can do it,” he added.
