Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday hit out at the opposition saying that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) came into power through its own performance rather than help from any army general.
“No General Jilani brought the PTI up,” he said, while addressing a convention to mark the 22nd anniversary of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the federal capital. “It’s been over two decades since PTI was founded and we need to understand what this struggle was about. Struggle is never a straight journey, there are highs and lows. People get disheartened and leave you, [and] some come back,” he said. “I had nothing to gain from politics. I had everything a person could have – wealth, fame, respect. I could have spent my life just by commenting on cricket,” he said. “But a man of faith knows he has to answer to the God. The more you receive [from God], the more responsibility you have [towards society],” he added.
“This country was progressing so quickly when I was growing up. Our leaders were respected by the world. But then this respect began to fade because those in power, instead of thinking about the country, started caring about their own interest,” he lamented. “When a man steals, he harms one man. When a leader steals, he harms the entire country,” he stressed. “Before my eyes I saw how our country went down from the heights it once reached,” he added.
The prime minister said it was shameful to see PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif not bringing the country’s health sector up to the international standards. “That is why he wants to go overseas for treatment,” he said.
He reiterated that under no circumstances would a deal be struck with the opposition parties, adding that the accountability proceedings will continue. “They have joined hands to save themselves from accountability, but I won’t give them any sort of relief despite all their efforts and conspiracies,” he said. “Let them do whatever they can, I won’t give them any NRO,” he asserted. “Nawaz Sharif has asked for permission to travel abroad for treatment. Isn’t it then the right of every other prisoner to go abroad for treatment?” he asked. “In Naya Pakistan, laws are same for everyone,” he maintained.
Imran Khan said it’s a shame that when Nawaz came in power, he set up 11 new companies but didn’t establish even a single quality hospital where he could have get himself treated today. He said former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif left Punjab in debt of Rs 1,100 billion. “Still they have the audacity to sit on TV channels with their weird faces and accuse PTI of bad governance,” he wondered.
He blamed the previous governments for the country’s worrying economic situation, and justified the increase in petroleum prices. “It is not as simple they [opposition] are making it out to be … we needed to increase petrol prices as the international rates have risen,” he said.
“They (opposition) are unduly criticising the government to cover the corruption done during their respective tenures at the helm,” he said. Citing the success stories of Malaysia and Singapore, the prime minister emphasised the importance of implementing the principles of the state of Madina in Pakistan. “The governance structure of Madina is the system of a modern state.
That became the foundation due to which Muslims ruled for the next 1,000 years. Pakistan was the only country that was built in the name of Islam and the purpose was to establish a welfare state. But we strayed from that vision,” he said.
A large number of ministers, special assistants to the prime minister, party leaders and supporters attended the event.