Daily Times

PTI Chairman Imran Khan said Saturday that he will announce the date for his “Haqeeqi Azadi March” next Thursday or Friday. “Political parties always hold backdoor talks but I don’t think this [ongoing talks] will have any meaningful outcome,” he told a press conference, flanked by party leader Azam Swati in Islamabad on Saturday. Khan said he would announce the date now as he was not hopeful of the government holding snap elections. “This time, the march will be peaceful, and people will enjoy it,” he said, adding that he will not allow the government to torture or harass his party leaders and workers like the last time. “This sort of violence does not take place anywhere in the world,” he said. Replying to a question regarding Khan taking a U-turn on the long march if dialogue between ruling alliance lawmakers succeeds with the PTI leaders, the PTI chief revealed that there is always back-channel communication going on. “Political parties are always negotiating through back channel,” he said, renewing his demand for free and fair elections. Imran Khan said the incumbent rulers after suffering defeat in the recently-held by-polls have realised that they cannot compete with PTI in the election. “Hence, they will not call early elections,” he said. The PTI chief also warned that if the government attempted to stop his ‘organised protest’ then it will result into chaos. Imran Khan also played down the reports of his arrest and said that even if he were behind bars, the long march would take place. “We are the specialist of marches. We have experience,” he quipped, stating that the long march would be historic. He further stated that the march would be peaceful. “In my party’s 26-year history, we have done everything peacefully.

Families will also participate. We will not let any violence take place.” Reiterating his allegations against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikander Sultan Raja, Imran expressed doubts that someone else was “behind the verdict” against him. “One thing is sure that he [CEC] cannot give this verdict on his own. Everyone knows that he is a servant of Sharif family but this should be investigated if he was ‘kicked’ from somewhere else.”

Decrying the alleged torture of Swati, the former prime minister claimed that the law enforcement agencies entered the ex-federal minister’s residence without a warrant. “Azam Swati was tortured in front of his children. What crime did Azam Swati commit, just that he criticised a person holding a big office?” Khan asked. The PTI chief railed against the coalition government and the treatment being meted out to its political opponents. Giving the example of Shahbaz Gill, Imran alleged that the ex-adviser to the PM was tortured, stripped naked and sexually assaulted. “He is a professor, not a criminal.” He also vowed to approach every forum over the “custodial torture” of Swati. “I am upset that they did not take action.” He questioned the law under which this action was taken. “He was beaten in front of his grandchildren,” he stated, adding that Swati was later “handed over” where he was beaten after being stripped naked. He asserted that by “insulting and scaring” citizens, state institutions were only flaming the fans of hatred against them. Imran also termed the country a “banana republic”. He alleged that there were “unnamed people” who everyone was scared of because if anyone makes a social media post against them, they are “picked up and beaten”. “These people are not benefitting our country in any way. They are destroying it.”