Mianwali: Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Friday told his party’s workers to remain prepared for the long march to Islamabad, saying he would announce the final date any day after May 20.

Addressing a gathering in his hometown, Mianwali, he said a sea of people would reach the capital to demand only one thing – elections.

“Let people decide who will rule us. We will not accept any imported government.”

The PTI chairman is conducting a whirlwind series of rallies, starting from today to May 20. According to a tweet by party leader Azhar Mashwani, the next rally will take place in Jhelum on May 10, followed by Attock on May 12, Sialkot on May 14, Faisalabad on May 15 and Chakwal on May 19.

Referring to his former aide Shahbaz Gill’s recent accident, Imran, during his address today, said he was warning the government that if it touched any PTI worker in the future, he would hold “three stooges and their handlers” responsible.

Addressing the loudly cheering crowd, Imran said he had not seen such a huge rally previously.

Talking about his government’s achievements, he said it had reduced the current account deficit for the first time in 11 years, adding that Pakistan was among a few countries which protected their people from the ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic.

In addition, there were record remittances and crops, he said.

“Shehbaz Sharif, you lodged a false FIR against me, and jailed [MNA] Rashid Shafique [in connection with the Madina incident]. Our women and children will take part in the march in Islamabad. If you try to stop it or lodge a similar FIR, then you will be responsible for what will happen,” he warned.

Since all party workers would not be able to reach the capital on the day of the long march, they should instead protest in Mianwali, he said.

“I am calling my sisters, brothers, youth and mothers to the capital because this is the matter of Pakistan. I want everyone of you to come to Islamabad to tell this boot-polisher that slavery and imported government is unacceptable and [demand that he] hold elections.”

He said it was the nation that would decide who would form the government instead of the US.

The PTI’s Punjab government was toppled through bribery, he claimed, adding that the then-opposition should be ashamed of paying people to switch loyalties. He also asked the judiciary why it had not taken suo motu action over the events.

“If our courts can be opened at midnight, why can these thieves not be disqualified? If these looters come to your constituencies, you have to decide about them. These people who betrayed their country, Constitution, nation and voters should be taught a lesson by you so that in future, they should be afraid of repeating such actions.”

Vow to continue ‘jihad’

Imran vowed to continue “jihad” against the leaders of the incumbent coalition government, who he termed “looters”.

He lashed out at the United States, saying the “conspiracy” had originated there. “The biggest conspiracy was that Americans joined hands with Mir Jafars and Mir Sadiqs here to oust a government that inherited a bankrupt Pakistan.”

Terming the new coalition government’s leaders as dacoits, he claimed they had looted money from the country and built palaces in London. “These were the people who had been looting the country for the last 30 years and bankrupted it.”

“We do not bow down before any power. We are the ummah of the greatest leader Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). There were two superpowers at the time in Iran and Rome. Did my Prophet try to ask for alms or loans or did he surrender before anyone? He did not.”

Imran said it was the nation’s choice whether it wanted to take to the skies or become a “boot polisher”. The nation’s founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, would never have served the US like these rulers are doing, he added.

Stressing that Pakistanis were independent people, he said the public did not accept “looters” like PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz and Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz.

“We will not let these thieves be imposed on us. You (the government) lodged an FIR against me, claiming we managed the incident that happened in Madina,” he said, referring to pilgrims who had hounded and chanted slogans against PM Shehbaz and his delegation at the Masjid-i-Nabwi last month.

Calling the coalition government’s leaders as “liars”, he said wherever they want, they would face chants of thieves and traitors.