‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ to start from Lahore on Feb 22: Imran Khan

Says JIT findings sabotaged to save skin of powerful

Caretaker chief ministers to be illegal on 91st day: PTI Chairman

DNA

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said that the ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ court arrest movement would commence Lahore on February 22 (Wednesday), which, he said,’ would prove the last nail in the imported government’s coffin imposed on the nation through ‘auction’ not ‘election’.

In his televised address to the nation, he said that the party leaders and activists would present themselves voluntarily for court arrest as part of protests against the ongoing state oppression and rising violation of rule of law.

“I am announcing, God willing, my ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ from Wednesday. I am telling my entire party today to prepare for the movement,” he added. Khan urged the nation to break idols of fear and not bow down before it to restore rule of law.

He said the ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ would be launched from Lahore to fill the jails every day and the movement would spread toward the rest of the country. “They are scaring us with jails but we will fill them all. They will not have any space left in their jails,” he added.

Imran Khan stated that general elections were the only answer to issues currently facing the country; however, he added that the government of thieves was committing constitutional violation by not announcing the election date despite the court orders.

He said that the government used brutal forces an attempt to deter them from protesting for their rights. He thanked party workers who gathered outside his home whenever he was an indication of arresting him.

The PTI Chairman said that they dissolved the assemblies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa so that elections could be held within 90 days. “On the 91st day, the caretaker government will be illegal but hitherto neither the governors of both provinces nor the election commission have made any progress in conducting polls,” Khan maintained.

He said that the ECP has shown its helplessness in conducting elections, citing the lack of funds and security issues. He said the judiciary should implement the Constitution on conducting elections as all institutions were bound to cooperate and uphold the rule of law.

PTI Chairman went on to say that the imported government imposed on the nation through auction was unable to govern and made ‘tough’ conditions, because this imported government did not have the mandate or ability to bring reforms or implement any economic policy as it required ensuring rule of law.

Imran Khan stated that only a government with public mandate could take tough decision and could get the country out of the prevailing quagmire.

He said that the government was resorting to all delaying tactics to defer the elections and preventing other institutions from playing their role. He said that the PDM was running away from elections as it feared of humiliating defeat and would rather take unconstitutional steps instead of conducting polls.

No disaster could be bigger than that when the judiciary failed to ensure the implementation of the Constitution, he said. “There is no justice where the rule of law collapses,” he added.

Imran Khan said that the government was either attempting to give a short time for campaigning so they can snatch the polls. He said this was evident in the LG elections in Karachi when the PPP won the polls without having a vote bank.

PTI Chairman said that he was launching a campaign after the worst form of state oppression against political leaders and journalists not even seen in dictatorial times. He said the trend started with Shahbaz Gill, Azam Swati, Fawad Chaudhry and Sheikh Rashid and not they were reaching for him. “Never in history have such acts been committed against political opponents,” Khan lamented.

He said that the police was being used to suppress party activists and torture them, adding that police violated the sanctity of the home and tortured party workers on February 13 in Lahore.

He said the caretaker government was supposed to be neutral to conduct only transparent and free polls but the incumbent was their worst opponent. He said police officers who tortured them during May 25 March were reappointed in Punjab. He said that cases were lodged against Usman Dar and others just to weaken the PTI.

He said the attempts were made to sabotage the findings of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed to probe the murder attempt on him in Wazirabad in order to save the skin of the powerful people. Imran Khan said that he could not get justice until the three people Shehbaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah and dirty harry were in the power who he named in the FIR. He said the federal government formed its own JIT but police officers refused to cooperate and findings have been derailed.

He said that the caretaker government was responsible for conducting the election but instead stopped the proceedings of the JIT, adding that this proved his claims that the JIT was sabotaged and he would not be provided justice as the record has gone missing.

Regarding the purported leaked audio leaks of a judge, Imran Khan said interior minister Rana Sanuallah has admitted that phone calls were tapped against them; hence the imported government should be ousted on this ground. He said the judiciary should take notice of its violation to ensure the rule of law and ensure implementation of its verdict.

He said people should brace themselves as the economic situation would worsen and inflation would rise further. Therefore, he said they have decided to launch a movement of court arrest as part of agitation against the injustices of the government. Khan said that they had been claiming that the coalition government did not have the mandate and they cannot run the country.

Lashing out at the incumbent rulers over the recently announced mini-budget, Khan asked as if raising prices is a “tough decision.” The government has broken the backbone of people by hiking the prices of all daily-use items, the deposed prime minister added. “IMF loans are not the solution to the problems being faced by the country,” he added.