Monitoring Desk
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan claimed again on Saturday that the United States, Israel and India conspired together to bring “boot-polishing” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to power.
“Shehbaz was bought into power not because he is intelligent, but because he would obey all of their orders, the first of which was a price hike in petrol as ordained by the International Monetary Fund (IMF),” the former premier stated while addressing a rally in the Upper Dir region of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Imran maintained that a Rs7 increase in petrol and diesel was “inhumane”, adding that the PTI government did not succumb to IMF’s pressure when they ordered the former government to increase petrol and electricity prices.
“My life and death is Pakistan, and I refuse to bow down before anyone but God,” Imran said.
He stated that the PTI regime had decreased petrol prices by Rs10 when the IMF had asked them to increase petrol and electricity prices.
“We wanted to save our people from global price hikes and aimed to get money from elsewhere to offer respite from inflation,” he said, adding that the price of all commodities increased when petrol and electricity were more expensive.
Imran further claimed that his government wanted to increase the wealth of the country and that the average income increased from Rs16,180 to Rs26,300 under his three-year tenure.
“We tried to increase the country’s wealth and subsequently increase tax to reduce the burden of inflation,” the former premier added.
He declared that the only way to free Pakistan from economic ruin and enslavement was an election where the people could decide which government they wanted in power.
Imran Khan further alleged that Shehbaz Sharif only came into power to obtain relief from his ongoing corruption cases which he was going to be “punished for”.
The PTI chief claimed that there were cases concerning frauds of Rs16 billion in the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Rs8 billion in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against Shehbaz and his family.
“The day he [Shehbaz] was sworn in as prime minister, he and his son were both to be indicted under the FIA case. Their entire reason to come into power was to escape punishment,” he said.
NNI adds: Imran Khan said his government was not toppled because of inflation, but
the motive was to impose the ‘US puppets’.
“The past PML-N and PPP governments were ousted due to corruption but I ask why our government was toppled although Pakistan was going in the right trajectory.”
Imran Khan said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif looks perplexed these days and says he did not know that the landmines were laid.
I ask you a question Shehbaz Sharif, “Why did you hatch a conspiracy when you could not run the government? You blame me for the current situation of the country, then you would have left me in power.”
“After polishing boot[s] and so good that you can see your face in it, take the responsibility now.” “I challenge you [Shehbaz Sharif], fix the country now,” the former premier said.
PTI chairman said the prime minister should not dash to other countries for help and should fix everything by itself now after coming into power through a conspiracy.
“We used to hear that Shehbaz Sharif does a lot of work, but it is now evident that his work was only in the advertisements.”
He claimed that the PTI government ‘fixed’ a collapsing economy but the ‘imported government’ has brought it again to that point with depleting foreign reserves and a rising dollar rate.
Earlier, he said that they had planned to arrive in Dir Bala at 4:30pm but they got to know that the stadium was filled to the brim at 2:30pm which indicates that the people do not approve of the ‘imported government’.
Imran Khan said he wants the youth to stand for the country and never embrace the slavery of a foreign power. The former prime minister said the maiden national security policy determined that not just the armed forces but a stable economy was inevitable for the national security.
He said military leadership endorsed through the National Security Council (NSC) that the US threat was blatant interference but why didn’t they take the action as the repercussion of not foiling the conspiracy is being faced by Pakistan.
“I ask the neutrals, isn’t protecting the country your responsibility?” He demanded immediate elections in the country for pulling it out of the prevailing crises. He also quoted the global agencies according to which Pakistan’s economy is taking a nosedive.
He thanked the Supreme Court for taking notice of the government’s interference in corruption cases and said anybody other than Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz would have been in jail on facing the charges the father and son had on them.
He reiterated that the incumbent rulers are involved in pre-poll rigging with the connivance of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
In the end, he urged the people to come out with him against the ‘imported government’ on his call for second phase of Haqiqi Azadi March for country’s future.
The former prime minister is holding public rallies in KP after the first phase of the Haqiqi Azadi March on Islamabad on May 25-26.