Imran gives protest call amid hope on CJP Bandial for probe into turmoil
Pakistan
Denies PTI's role in attack on security installations
LAHORE (Dunya News) - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan said Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial should constitute a bench to investigate the vandalism during PTI's protests to unearth the "real" perpetrators.
After the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had granted him relief in multiple cases following the Supreme Court's declaration of his arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case as "illegal", Imran talked about the spate of events in his absence during video-link address to his followers. Soon after his arrest, the PTI staged violent protests across the country including reported attacks on Lahore's Corps Commander House and the Army's General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. The whole episode was compounded by the law enforcement agencies' arrests of key PTI leaders including Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, and Fawad Chaudhry.
Addressing via video link, he claimed that the PTI did not launch the attacks on security installations. He said when two ministers tried to block protesters in KPK, they (protestors) tore down their clothes, adding question who they were. “The same strange people” were inciting public at Lahore’s Liberty Chowk,” he added. It should be investigated, he said, as he never instructed his party workers to do so.
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PROTEST CALL
Meanwhile, ex-premier Imran called for nationwide "freedom" protests on Sunday, after his brief arrest and detention last week triggered deadly unrest.
He urged people to come out at 5.30 pm on Sunday with placards stating “Real Freedom", and "Save Constitution, Save Pakistan”. “Spare an hour from your day to change the destiny of your country,” he added.
Mr Khan said he would start election campaign from Muridke on Wednesday. "The PTI wants to come in power after winning the elections," he added.
PTI chief's stance on Al-Qadir Trust corruption case
PTI chief further proceded by saying that he had been known for 50 years without a criminal case and was suddenly dragged and slapped with 145 cases in a year. “Not even a big criminal can commit 15 crimes in a day”, he added.
Contending the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case against him, he said when he came to power in 2018, he decided to promote Seerat-un-Nabi based morality and integrate it with technology through establishing the Al-Qadir University to help build honest leadership. “A sponsor came and agreed to establish the university,” he added.
Mr Khan continued by saying that he inaugurated the university’s groundbreaking ceremony on May 15, 2019 as PM, whereas the NCA UK case they [the government] were talking about surfaced seven months later in December 2019. “The PTI government was given choice that if it agreed to the confidential agreement between property tycoon and the NCA, the money will be repatriated to the country,” he added.
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"Otherwise the PTI government would have left with only option to approach the courts" he said, "We were told that we had already wasted $100m in litigation, so we decided to adjust the money to the SC, which is also a part of the country.”
Let me tell you what a trust and trustee was, he said. “Trustee does not take any money or pay out of trust,” he enlightened. He also added her wife (Bushra Bibi) as a trustee because of her vast knowledge of Seerah.
According to Mr. Khan the treatment they meted out to women during protests ired him the most. “An honorable person will never do this," he added. He alluded that they had thrown all the party leadership behind bars. On top of that, media was also censored, he added, and started calling us anarchists.
Imran responds to DG ISPR
Responding to DG ISPR, Mr Khan claimed to represent Pakistan even before the DG was born. “You should look back that who backed the Pakistan Army when the world was maligning the country amid Osama Bin Laden’s fiasco,” he added. You should have a record check, he urged the DG, on Army’s ranking in PTI’s tenure too.
He went on to say that he did not use ill words for COAS. “How could you [DG ISPR] level allegations against me,” he asked.
PTI chief said he was not responsible for downgrading the country’s economy. “If I criticise someone, it means I want reforms,” he added.
