Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday admitted that the PTI paid a high price for committing mistakes in the past but now it had learned the political ropes and will prioritize its “ideological” workers.
Addressing a ceremony at the Governor House, Lahore, he instructed the PTI workers to prepare for elections, saying this time the party would exercise care and give tickets to those who were aligned with the party’s political philosophy.
“We committed mistakes in the past for which we had to pay a high price. So now after learning from our mistakes, our first decision is to give tickets after a great deliberation.” Imran said tickets would be given to all the MPs in attendance who still supported and continued to support the party during difficult times, says a news report. The interim prime minister reiterated his recent claim that a “vast foreign conspiracy” was hatched against his government, referring to the opposition’s no-confidence resolution against him.
The premier alleged that a plan was made abroad for regime change in Pakistan in which “traitors here (opposition) joined with them (conspiracy planners).” Imran said most of the people who supported this “conspiracy” had done so inadvertently with only those at the top being in the know.
He warned that such a lesson would be taught to all those involved in the alleged conspiracy in the upcoming elections that they wouldn’t only lose, but also “their political graves will be made forever.”
Referring to the disgruntled PTI MPAs, he said the nation had witnessed this “spectacle”. These people, who were elected on the PTI tickets and reserved seats, have sold their conscience, he added.
The prime minister said the PTI had approached the Supreme Court against the “traitors” and opined that apart from lifetime bans, they should also be imprisoned. “If today we don’t stand against this treachery then our coming generations won’t forgive us. “Today is a decisive and defining moment in our country,” the premier said. He called on the people to wage peaceful protests daily, saying doing so was their “duty” along with defeating the alleged conspiracy against his government. He instructed the party workers to prepare for the next elections, saying that the poll will be held in the next three months. The premier urged the nation to come to the F-9 Park to protest peacefully against the opposition and its conspiracy.
The purpose of demonstrations, he explained, was to send a message to the US and its alleged collaborators here that “this is a living nation and it won’t allow any scheme [against it] to be successful.” He said Pakistan was at the crossroads today and those who remained loyal and committed to its ideology would be remembered in history.
The prime minister paid tribute to the Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar for working with honesty and dedication to serve the people in three and a half years.
“His performance was much better than his counterparts in other provinces. He has earned more respect by tendering resignation from his post with dignity,” he added. Imran Khan said women workers had also been playing a constructive role in strengthening the party and their contribution was praiseworthy. He assured his full support to Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as the PTI’s candidate for Punjab chief minister, who, he hoped, would win the election. PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said friends were proved only in the hour of trial. Those MPAs, who remained committed, were pride of the party.
He said the so-called alliance of the opposition parties was unnatural and would shatter soon. They were disappointed and cracks were visible in their ranks. He said the PTI parliamentarians, who had changed their loyalties, were facing tough response from their constituents. Today, Qureshi said, the popularity of Imran Khan was at peak as China, Russia, Iran and Uzbekistan were expressing solidarity with him. The people of Pakistan also stood with their leader for the sake of country’s integrity and sovereignty, he added. The prime minister Tuesday held a meeting with Speaker Punjab Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Pakistan Muslim League-Q leader Chaudhry Moonis Elahi. The current political situation in the country was discussed during the meeting, the PM Office said.
Meanwhile, Members of the Punjab Provincial Assembly, hailing from various divisions, called on Prime Minister Imran Khan and reposed their full trust in his leadership.
The parliamentarians, who met the prime minister, came from Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Lahore, Gujranwala, Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan and Sahiwal divisions. The MPAs appreciated the government’s public welfare policies, development projects, independent foreign policy and the prime minister’s international efforts for Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him)’s sanctity and Islamophobia.
