Geo Pakistan

Imran warns of civil disobedience if assets not declared

LAHORE: Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief Imran Khan addressing tens of thousands of supporters at Minar-e-Pakistan on Sunday warned that his party would spearhead a civil disobedience campaign and seize all the cities if the government failed to have politicians declare their assets. In his address to the cheering crowd that turned up in tens of thousands at ‘Pakistan Bachao’ call of TI Chief Imran Khan here at Minar-e-Pakistan, the cricketer turned politician also warned that he would go to the Supreme Court as well as the Election Commission of Pakistan if the politicians in the government and opposition failed to declare their assets as required under the Pakistan law. He said Tehreek-e-Insaf would set up a cell to investigate and identify politicians who declare assets and those who do not. Starting his speech following the National Anthem, Imran Khan gave his party’s programme in detail which, he said, aimed at making Pakistan a peaceful and independent country where investment would be attracted from across the world. “We will make Pakistan a place where people come from other countries to seek jobs.” Talking of change, he said: “ Today we are beginning a new Pakistan from Minar-e-Pakistan, the place from where founder of the Nation Quad-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah began his movement”. Spelling out his party’s manifesto in connection with Pakistan’s relations with the US, the Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief said ‘we will make friends with you (US) but not be your slave; we will help you (US) withdraw from Afghanistan but won’t launch any military operation (for you).’ He questioned that if US, being the super power, could not win the war through military means how could Pakistan? “We will strengthen ties with China,” he said, adding, he was leaving for China on its government’s invitation tonight. He said Pakistan was not a poor country; ‘it is very rich in natural resources’. Pakistan has 180 billion tonnes of coal reserves which means we can export electricity to the world, he added. Imran Khan said Pakistan never needed to beg before others. “Pakistan will never beg again; Imran Khan will die but won’t beg,” he vowed amid vociferous cheers of the charged crowd. Coming down hard on President Asif Ali Zardari, Imran Khan questioned how could Asif Zardari provide bread, cloth and shelter when under his rule 1600 people committed suicide. He also claimed that ‘Asif Zardari’ wrote a letter to the US requesting it to please save him from the army because he was not able to serve them well with army interefernce. He regretted that Mian (Nawaz Sharif) sahib should have done better than coming up with a show of ‘Patwaris’ the other day in Lahore. Imran Khan said Pakistan was suffering a loss of Rs3000 billions per year mainly due to rampant corruption. He said his party also aimed to bring about police reforms in the country to improve the working of this institution. “We will depoliticize police and then get the SHO elected like the way it is done in America,” he added. He said condition of the villages will be improved and pledged to bring an end to military operation and target killings in Balochistan, which, he termed as a province rich in natural resources.. “We will make Balochis our brothers,” he added. Criticising Pakistan Muslim League-N Nawaz Sharif, he said: “How can you fight with Zardari when you can’t even fight with mosquitoes?” Pointing to the crowd, he said, Asif Zardar and Nawaz Sharif cannot stop this flood now. “This is not just a flood it is a Tsunami and anyone who tries to stand before it will be washed away.”