PTI chairman formally launches election campaign in Punjab, KP n Says all institutions need to come together to confront crisis n 'I am allotting tickets this time because they were sold last time'.

LAHORE      -   Pakistan Tehreek-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan Saturday addressed party workers through video-link and said that he is ready to ready to talk with everyone only for the sake of the country. He also announced that he is ready to forgive all those who allegedly had plotted his gun attack on him.

The PTI chief formally launched his party’s campaign for the upcoming elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

Referring to Wazirabad attack in which one PTI worker died and 14 others including Imran Khan were injured during the “Haqeeqi Azadi” march against the federal government, Imran Khan said, “There was an attempt to assassinate me, and I know who attacked me [but] I am ready to forgive for the country’s sake.”

Interestingly, Imran in the same breath said that he would not hold talks with those who looted the country. “How can I comprise with those who plunder the country’s wealth.” The country needs to unite considering the point where it is standing … this is not a matter of my ego but the country,” he said.

The PTI leader had accused Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and intelligence officers of planning the attack on him. He had also demanded that the three resign to ensure a fair and transparent probe into the incident.

In a video address on Saturday to kick off the PTI’s election campaign, Imran said: “I am ready to talk with everyone and compromise because considering Pakistan’s upcoming condition, I again say that the whole nation will have to confront [the crisis] together.”

Imran said all institutions, including the judiciary, needed to come together and agree on reforms. He said no government could think of going alone and tackling the country’s issues on its own. “The nation will have to stand together, the institutions will have to as well, and everyone will have to tackle it together,” the PTI chief added.

Imran further said that “nothing is impossible” when a nation is united and decides to stand on its own.

However, at the same time, the PTI chief said that he would not talk to or compromise with “those who steal the country’s wealth”.

Referring to the political parties in the incumbent government, he alleged that he was asked to give them a deal similar to the infamous National Reconciliation Ordinance during the PTI government — something he said he could not agree on.

Regarding the PTI’s election campaign, Imran said he would hold his first rally next Saturday. He called on the PTI workers in Punjab and KP to get ready, adding that he would allot tickets to contestants in a week or two. “I am allotting the tickets myself this time because I got to know that they were sold last time and wrong candidates were made [our ticketholders] so I’m not leaving it to anyone and am investigating and interviewing people myself.”

Imran said those denied PTI tickets would be accommodated in the Punjab local government polls, adding that they would be held soon after the provincial elections.

Regarding party discipline, he said any PTI member who contests polls independently after not being awarded a party ticket would be “immediately expelled” since “this is the most important election in Pakistan’s history.”

Imran alleged that there was yet another assassination conspiracy being planned against him, adding that he knew who was behind it. “But I am happy that in the past 11 months, I’ve seen my party change. Now I know that even if something happens to Imran Khan, the PTI has become the kind of party … that no one can stop this country [from moving] towards real freedom.”

Addressing the current precarious economic situation of the country, Imran said it would remain stuck in a “quagmire” until there were new elections. Assailing the government for its economic performance, Imran said: “Even an enemy won’t do what all these parties did together [with the country],” pointing out soaring inflation in particular.

“General Bajwa asked to give them NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance]. Who am I to forgive them for stealing people’s money?” the former prime minister asked. But he then went on and said he is “ready to talk to everyone”. Comparing himself to former South African president Nelson Mandela, Khan said he knows all those involved in the assassination attack against him but is ready to forgive them. “Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison, but he forgave everyone,” he said.

Considering the country’s situation at present, the politician insisted on unity and stressed the need for reforming the judiciary.

The general elections in Punjab are scheduled for April 30, while the date for the polls in KP is yet to be announced as Governor Ghulam Ali has not made a decision yet.

In light of the SC’s split ruling, President Arif Alvi had announced the date for the Punjab polls after consulting the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). But the KP governor is yet to “open” the letter that the ECP has sent to his office.

Speaking to his party workers and the nation, Khan reiterated that fresh elections are the sole solution to the prevailing crisis being faced by the country.

Lauding the Supreme Court, the deposed prime minister said that the apex court took action as the governors and the Election Commission of Pakistan did not announce a date for the general elections in Punjab and KP.

“74 cases have been registered against me so far,” Khan said, adding that the establishment had asked his party workers and leaders to join the PML-N as they had marked a cross on him.

Stressing the need for fresh elections, Khan said that instability would not end until a public- mandated government is elected in the country.

“After the Supreme Court verdict, I was sure that they would conduct general elections. Polls are the first step towards getting out of this quagmire,” he said adding that political stability will come from elections and economic stability will follow.

People’s confidence, Khan said, will increase when a government comes into power with a public mandate.

Khan went on to claim that the PDM-led government had their Rs11 billion worth of cases dismissed. “In our tenure, [National Accountability Bureau] NAB recovered Rs480 billion. Around Rs11 billion more was to be recovered, but they changed the NAB law,” he said while adding that NAB’s only job now is to take action against the opposition. Commenting on regime change, Khan said that when his government was being toppled, he made the then-army chief understand that it would “bring instability in the county”.

Firing fresh broadside at the ruling government for ruining the state of the economy in the country, Khan said: “At present, inflation is at its highest in Pakistan’s history. They are now afraid of the election because of what they have done with the country. I’ve known them for the last 30 years, they cannot control the economy.”

The former premier said that there was inflation around the world when his party was in government during COVID-19. He went on to lament the country’s brain drain due to a lack of economic opportunities.

“Around 0.8 million professionals have left the country. Such is the level of despair. On one hand, there is inflation, while unemployment is increasing on the other hand,” Khan said. The cricketer-turned-politician asserted that there won’t be stability in the country unless a government with a public mandate comes into power.

Sharing fears about the dollar rates increasing, the PTI chairman said: “There was a lot of noise about bringing the dollar below Rs200. It is feared that it will reach Rs300.”