Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday said Nawaz Sharif will be responsible if a ‘third power’ steps in as a result of the PTI’s November 2 lockdown.

Talking to reporters at his Bani Gala residence, Kaptaan said the upcoming protest is for the premier’s ‘resignation or accountability’ following Panamagate.

In a reference to Nawaz, the PTI supremo said that only “one person will be responsible if democracy is derailed”.

He, however, did not mention which force or institution would be derailing democracy following the protest but clarified, “We [PTI] are not doing this to bring in a ‘third power’.”

“Protest is the PTI’s democratic right. The government will have to bear a severe loss if it tries to stop us.”

Speaking further, the skipper accused the government of defaming the army.

He alleged that the premier’s daughter Maryam Sharif’s media cell was involved in leaking of information from a recent high-level meeting on national security.

“The PM’s daughter’s media cell is involved in this, there is no doubt about that. And that is why the investigation is not progressing. This was a very large security breach,” he alleged.

The PTI has also prepared a strategy to tackle any possible crackdown against the party.

PTI workers will gather at Faizabad and march to Zero Point under the captain’s leadership.

“Blocking Zero Point will render Kashmir Highway, IJ Principal Road, Murree Road and Islamabad Expressway closed and the federal capital will be in lockdown,” a senior official told a private TV channel.

“Party leaders are of the view that the government will close the roads themselves, helping the party’s plan to besiege Islamabad,” he said.

If PTI workers are arrested ahead of the lockdown, the party plans to lay siege to the police station where they will be held.

Earlier this week, Nawaz flayed Kaptaan’s party, saying the party leaders are only found on containers.

“Forget about Pakistan, the PTI will have washed their hands of KP by 2018,” he said, adding that the province would be ruled by the PML-N after the next general election.

The Supreme Court will hear petitions on Panamagate on November 1. The hearing had earlier been adjourned for two weeks, but the court changed the date on Friday.

Commenting on the hearing, the PTI chairman said while the court may sentence Nawaz, the PTI was only demanding his resignation for a fair investigation.

Taking a jibe at Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Imran said, “Those who call themselves opposition are defending Nawaz to save their own faces.”