PTI policy finalized to counter energy crisis:Imran Khan

Karachi: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday said that his party had finalized a policy to counter the energy crisis which would help jumpstart the country’s paralysed economy.

Addressing the Karachi Chambers of Commerce here, Imran Khan said that better democracy and better politics was imperative to rid the country of corrupt and inept politicians and the people would vote for a change as the incumbent political leadership could not resolve their problems.

“Both Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari are glove in hand with each-other and both are working to serve each-other favours. Both want to install caretakers who could serve their purposes. But the PTI would bowled out both the corrupt politicians,” he said.

Imran Khan said that federal and Punjab governments were corrupt and both were concealing eachother’s corruption. He said it was imperative to be a criminal if someone wanted to get a higher office in Pakistan. He said that now the civil servants were targeting those politicians who were joining the PTI in clear violation of the Supreme Court judgement. Especially Punjab government was active in this targeted campaign, he added.

“Recently, the owners of Al-Fateh Stores joined the PTI. Next day, cases were lodged against him and his store was sealed by Punjab government. We will not spare any such civil servant involved in witch-hunting. We have established a bureau which would monitor civil servants and from SHO to bureaucrats, all would be held accountable who would target PTI leaders,” he warned.

Khan also brushed aside media speculations about the popularity of then PTI and said that media reports were speculative and his party was the most popular political party of the country.

He said that 67 parliamentarians were tax-evaders and due to this reason, the PTI was working for a total change. He said that the increase in dollar value against rupee was badly hurting the general public besides increasing foreign debt.

“With increase of even a single rupee in dollar price, our foreign debt increases to US$ 60 billion. However, both Zardari and Nawaz Sharif benefit as the value of their foreign assets increases manifold,” he added.

He said that the PTI was working against this corrupt coterie and we will contest elections against both of these parties who wanted to keep status quo intact. He said that he wanted that ideological politicians should join the PTI as there was no place for opportunists in the party. He said propaganda campaigns were being run against PTI but all such ploys would fail.

He said the FBR’s tax collection system needed to be upgraded to expand tax net. He said there was no problem in Pakistan which could not be solved.

Commenting about Karachi unrest, Imran Khan said that all politicians had failed in maintaining peace in Karachi. He said extortioneering was the most profitable business in Karachi. He said rangers were not a solution for Karachi law and order. He said de-politicisation of police was the only answer to the woes of the port city of Karachi.

He said political parties would have to disarm their militant wings if they wanted peace in Karachi. He asked the people of Karachi not to vote for those parties who maintained militant wings.