Rulers using power to accumulate wealth, says Imran

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairperson Imran Khan said that the country's rulers have done nothing but use their power to accumulate wealth. 

While addressing a party workers’ convention at the Jinnah convention centre on Sunday, he remarked that the country's rulers have destroyed the nation with their corrupt practices. 

"Corruption is using your power to accumulate wealth," he said, adding this is not the type of politics country's founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah encouraged.   

"The rulers only care about themselves. They have spent no money on education or human development," he added.  

Taking a dig at Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) head Nawaz Sharif, Imran said that the rulers have stolen Rs300 billion from the nation. "However, when they appear before the court for accountability they exude invincibility."

The main problem is that the powerful don't think they can ever be held accountable for their actions, PTI chief remarked. 

Sharif mafia is trying their best to not be convicted of money laundering, he remarked. "If they are convicted then their Rs300 billion abroad will be ceased."

They [Sharif family] will try to derail democracy just to save their own skin, he said, adding that they openly said they don't accept the decision of the Supreme Court. 

"The biggest fraud in the country is [Interior Minister] Ahsan Iqbal," he said.  

Pakistan is fortunate to have so many resources. "Our manpower and advantage can be used to our advantage," he said. 

However, we are not able to harness the resources as we have no proper system. "We have no system because of Nawaz and Zardari sitting on the top. They don't want the system to be developed," he added.

He urged that merit will pave the way forward for Pakistan. 

Sharing PTI's vision, Imran said: "we just want prosperity and alleviation of poverty."

 

Pakistan supported the US in the war on terror after 9/11 attack. However, no one asked how Pakistanis were treated in the US during that time. "Many Muslims were forcibly imprisoned on allegations of terrorism," he said. 

"Yet, our rulers did nothing to help these Muslims," he added. 

"I only believe in one leader, Mohammad Ali Jinnah," he said, adding that PTI's struggle is similar to that of the nation's founder. 

Quaid-e-Azam knew that Congress under the leadership of Gandhi will do nothing for Muslims of South Asia, he said. This is why Jinnah joined Pakistan Muslim League, he added. 

British, Congress wanted South Asian to be united but Jinnah showed immense willpower and struggled for a separate nation for the Muslims. 

Many people claimed that Jinnah divided South Asia for his own self, he said, claiming that this is not true. "Jinnah could foresee how Muslims will be treated in a united South Asia." 

Speaking about the party recruitment, he said that PTI wants to recruit only those people for whom the country matters more, he remarked. 

"We want to know what will you bring to the table for improvement of Pakistan."

The convention marked the launch of PTI's membership campaign and website. 

Addressing the convention, PTI leader Jahangir Tareen had remarked that the party is a product of Imran Khan's efforts. 

Tareen remarked that PTI will prove to be victorious in the upcoming general elections. "We will have a big presence on the social media during the elections," he remarked. 

 

He also said that the party workers are working on improving the party's website so that all information regarding the party is readily available including all the profiles of members and press releases. 

Earlier, party workers, including some leaders such as Ghulam Mustafa Khar, Bahadur Khan Sahar and Naeemul Haque, arrived at the venue.

A scuffle broke out between the party's members and organisers as the workers wanted to enter the premises from the main gate which has been reserved for VIPs. The workers were trying to seek entry from the same gate Imran was to enter from.

Earlier, Imran met and addressed workers in Lahore’s NA-120 constituency. During the meeting, he said that he has initiated countrywide rallies.

“The way the government is conducting suicide attacks on itself, it won’t last long and elections will come early,” said Imran.

The PTI chief said that before the next general elections, the party needs to take note of its mistakes and prepare a strategy.