Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Monday rejected the possibility of any political alliance with the Pakistan People’s Party as long as it was led by Asif Ali Zardari.

Responding to a question after appearing before the anti-terrorism court, he said: “There should be no misunderstanding that till the presence of Asif Ali Zardari as leader of PPP there cannot be any political alliance.”

“If my struggle was to get power, I could have made alliances with Nawaz and PPP. How can I be with Zardari when my fight is against corruption?”

Imran Khan said that the open firing by the police in Model Town incident against the Pakistan Awami Tehreek activists was not justified constitutionally.

“There is no precedent of such incidents in democracy. The protestors were innocent, they (PML-N government) killed 14 innocent people through police.” He said the police was acting a personal servant of Sharif family.

PTI Chairman said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government is trying to give the impression that if they are thieves so are everyone else.

“They filed cases against me in Election Commission of Pakistan, Supreme Court and in ATCs, in a bid to silence me,” he said.

Asked to comment the remarks of Capt Rtd Safdar, son in law of Nawaz Sharif that he was a genuine captain while Imran was a fake one, the PTI chairman refused to indulge into a debate but only said that he is a great captain.

Meanwhile the anti-terrorism court (ATC) dismissed on Monday Imran Khan’s request to quash the terror charges and send the case to a lower court.

The ATC is hearing four cases against the PTI chief including the attack on the state television building, the Parliament and then SSP Operations Asmatullah Junejo.

As the ATC resumed the hearing, his counsel, Babar Awan, pleaded before ATC Judge Shahrukh Arjumand to remove the terrorism clauses from the charges against his client.

He said protesting for one’s rights, with slingshots and sticks, is not terrorism but a democratic right.

However, the state prosecutor said there is solid evidence against the PTI chief of instigating party workers against the state.

The judge then reserved the decision on the case. Later announcing its verdict, the ATC dismissed the plea and ordered Imran to appear before it at the next hearing on December 19. The court also extended Imran’s interim bail in the cases until the next hearing.

During today’s hearing, PTI chief has also reached the court from his Bani Gala residence to appear before the judge for the fourth time.

Speaking to the media outside the court after his appearance, Imran said it is shameful that the state is lodging terrorism cases against political opponents.

Published in Daily Times, December 12^th 2017.