Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday urged all Pakistanis to participate in his party’s much-hyped long march on Saturday (Nov26) in what appears to be his final showdown with the incumbent government to force it to announce early election date.
“Dear Pakistanis, I want all of you to participate in our haqeeqi azadi long march in Pindi at 1pm on Saturday,” he said in a short video statement.
He said that only a nation which has justice in it will get real freedom. “When there is justice, there are rights. When there are rights, a nation is free. Only an independent nation is prosperous,” he went on to say. The former premier said that the nation will not stay silent until it gets real freedom. “I am coming for you despite my [health] condition and all of you need to come to Pindi for me,” he concluded.
Earlier, in an interview with PBS, Imran described the US-Pakistan relationship during the war on terror as Islamabad acting as Washington’s “handgun”.
“It is just a fact that the Pakistan-US relationship has been lopsided … In Pakistan, we have been – well, the war on terror, we were like a hired gun. And I think it is a very undignified relationship.”
Asked whether he could have a good working relationship with the US if he were to win office, Imran replied: “The United States is a democracy. Democracies accept criticism. Democracies accept other people’s point of view. Master slaves don’t.
“Pakistan’s relationship with the US is very important for us. So, just because [of] the regime change, it shouldn’t mean that I should have not in future [a] relationship with the US. And, yes, I have my right to criticise”.
PTI chief Imran Khan has said if elections are not held, it would not affect his party, but he is concerned that the incumbent government could leave the country heading towards “economic chaos”. “If they (the government) don’t hold elections immediately, it doesn’t bother my party, because we are gaining all the time. But our worry is that they will leave the country in a … state where it will be beyond anyone’s control.”
The PTI chief said if the current government “goes the whole way, fine, we will wait. “My only concern is that, the way things are going, we could be heading toward chaos. I mean economic chaos”. He also said the PTI’s protest in Rawalpindi would be “completely peaceful”.
Meanwhile, senior PTI leader Asad Umar presided over a meeting regarding the party’s preparation for the long march in Rawalpindi. Senior PTI leadership including Umar Ayub, Shibli Faraz, Ali Nawaz and others participated in the meeting. The meeting discussed the overall preparations for the long march in Rawalpindi. The security plan, long march route and other significant matters came under discussion during the meeting.
The meeting was briefed that a caravan had left from Karachi for Rawalpindi whereas two others were ready to begin their journey to the garrison city from Quetta and Gilgit-Baltistan. A briefing was also given in the meeting regarding the accommodation of the participants.
Issues regarding the provision of all basic needs including food and accommodation to the participants of the march were also discussed in the meeting. “The nation is fully united and eager to achieve real freedom,” Umar said, adding that the party would welcome caravans from all over Pakistan in Rawalpindi. “The captain [Imran Khan] will lead the ocean of people in Rawalpindi on November 26,” he further said.
