Addressing a crowded press conference at Karachi airport after completing his visit to different areas in NA-246 Karachi, Imran Khan said that democracy is the name of providing right to the people to vote for the person of their choice.
He said that election camp of PTI candidate Imran Ismail was twice attacked in the constituency and called for ending this fear.
The PTI chairman advised MQM to rebuild its image and enter into mainstream politics. “I want an end to the politics of guns and fear”, he added.
Imran advises MQM to ‘rebuild its image’
He regretted the thrashing of PTI activists in Azizabad and claimed that the MQM workers are not in control of its leadership.
Khan questioned this ‘dual policy’ that on one hand they were welcomed, while on the other there workers were beaten while they were leaving the area.
The skipper linked it with the episode which took place inside the National Assembly when his party returned to parliament upon the request of Ishaq Dar and upon arrival another minister used inappropriate language against us.
He also thanked the Karachiites for their warm welcome upon his arrival to the metropolis.
Reham gets Imran’s praise
Flanked by his wife Reham Khan, Naz Baloch and Imran Ismail, Khan said that his wife also accompanied him today on the visit in order to tell the people that women have an important role in politics.
“Our 126-days-long sit-in also witnessed huge number of women participating in it and they all told the nation that women can also help change the fate of the country”, he said.
Promise for Karachi
Imran Khan said that when he used to play cricket, Karachi was a peaceful and rapidly progressing city, but this unrest has greatly affected the Karachi populace.
“People used to arrive here to spend their vacations; it used to be the political capital of the country as every political movement originated from here in those days,” he elaborated.
He said that Karachi must be made a city of lights again; issues like water shortage and lack of employment should be resolved here.
Job opportunities can only be created here with the help of investment and investment will only come when peace is restored in Karachi and a merit-based system is in place, Khan said.
Sigh after judicial commission
He felicitated the nation over the formation of a judicial commission to probe electoral rigging, adding that it is a landmark achievement, which to the least ensures transparent future elections in the country.
The PTI chairman said that the commission will conduct ‘open hearings’ and his party will present the evidences of irregularities before it.
Imran Khan said that it is his firm belief that the next year will be a ‘decisive year’ in the history of Pakistan.
Message to MQM chief
In his message to the MQM chief Altaf Hussain, he said that militancy and the ‘politics of guns’ has greatly affected Karachi and the Urdu-speaking community.
“Even if you hand guns to your activists, then apart from guarding you they also get involved in crimes and cross all the barriers,” he said.
Khan also called for not to widen the divide on the basis of ethnicity, adding that Karachi is mini-Pakistan and we need to unite everyone.
Military and Rangers factor
He stressed that the presence of military and Rangers was utmost necessary for the conduct of peaceful by-election in the constituency.
“Even today an incident took place, although a minor one, MQM activists are not in control of their leadership and hence the presence of military and Rangers personnel both inside and outside the polling booths is a need of the hour,” said Imran Khan.
