‘Referendum’ against ‘cabal of crooks’ on 22nd: PEOPLE vs POWER

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday yet again announced a power show at Minar-e-Pakistan on Wednesday (March 22), adding that it would be a “referendum” on where the nation stood. “Now, we are doing Minar-i-Pakistan on Wednesday. And I want the whole country to see, it will be a referendum on where the public stands. Everyone will know where the nation stands, and where the cabal of crooks and their handlers stand,” he said while addressing the nation. The former prime minister had earlier announced a rally at the Minar-e-Pakistan on Sunday but the Lahore High Court (LHC) had restrained the PTI leadership citing the ongoing law and order situation. Imran said that the government wanted to arrest him and take him to Balochistan with the intention of preventing him from issuing election tickets to party members. The former prime minister said that they had decided to hold a rally on March 8 and that the police had granted permission for the event on March 7. However, he added that the following day, containers were placed everywhere, which left them surprised. He wondered how Section 144 could be imposed after the announcement of elections. “I decided to cancel the rally scheduled for March 8 at 5pm as there was a risk of chaos,” he added. Imran said that he requested to have his case shift to a session court as he feared another assassination attempt, but instead of shifting the case, they issued a warrant against him. “Even Rana Sanaullah had warrants issued against him, but no action was taken against him. He resorted to baton-charging and teargas shelling on Zaman Park.”He claimed that despite all the drama he decided to call off his rally because he was afraid of chaos, “but they [coalition government] want to throw me in Balochistan jail so I am unable to hold campaign for the upcoming elections”. “They plan to arrest me so that I am unable to issue tickets to my party leaders,” he said, accusing the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of conspiring a plan against him. Khan, without naming PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz, said, “The ‘queen of lies’ wants to have a level-playing field before the general elections are held but this is all a part of the London Plan as they want to throw me out of their way as they very well know that the PTI will clean sweep against them.” Imran Khan said he would take legal action against Punjab police, including “every single officer” who participated in the “attack” on his Zaman Park residence in Lahore a day earlier. Talking about the police operation at Zaman Park, Imran said officials broke down the gate and his walls while only his wife, Bushra Bibi, and a select few servants were present. “I want to ask everyone, police, army officers, the judges of this country and the people [about] the respect of chaddor and char dewari in Islam.” He said he wanted to address the matter last night but could not. “It was good that I didn’t because I was angry. And a person should not talk when he is angry.” He said that officials knew that Bushra Bibi, a woman who was not involved in politics, was home alone. “To do this at someone’s home, tell me what you would have felt. I am asking my army officers. What would you have felt?” he asked, posing the same question to police officials. Imran alleged that officials carrying out the operation “looted” his home. “Is the police supposed to loot homes? They looted whatever they found. Do you not have any shame?” he asked as he targeted Punjab Inspector General (IG) Usman Anwar and used choice words for him. Imran accused the Punjab IG of violating the orders of the Lahore High Court (LHC), saying that he had referred to an anti-terrorism court for obtaining a search warrant even when a high court judge had already laid out the procedure for conducting a search at Zaman Park. “Even the ATC only allowed two officials to conduct the search. One was the SP and another was a female police officer not below the rank of an inspector,” he said. He said that the PTI would initiate contempt proceedings in the LHC and also take legal action against Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi in connection with the death of Ali Bilal, alias Zille Shah, a worker of the PTI. While sharing his next action plan to tackle the situation, the PTI chief said that he decided to move all high courts and would file a contempt petition. “The PTI will also file references against Mohsin Naqvi and Punjab IG for killing Zile Shah — the PTI worker who lost life last week. In his address, Imran said that the country was “headed towards disaster” and the only way forward was conducting free and fair elections. He said that the nation could not be controlled through force anymore as it had gained “consciousness”.