Daily Times

SHANGLA: PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday vowed to keep holding rallies and continue his anti-government campaign till general elections are announced.  Addressing a jalsa in Shangla, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the former prime minister said that he is staying in the province for two more days to prepare everyone for the “Azadi March” anew.

“I am strengthening all my organisations in the province and planning everything,” he said.

Last week, Khan had abruptly called off the long march, saying the decision to continue it would have led to further chaos and bloodshed.

Criticising the government’s decision to increase the prices of petroleum products by Rs30 per litre, Khan said that the government cannot buy oil from Russia at 30% lesser prices because the United States “does not permit” them to do so.

“Our government wanted to strike a deal with Russia, but it was overthrown with the help of a regime change scheme,” the ousted premier said.

He said that the “puppets” of the US were now running the country after he was ousted through a “foreign conspiracy” and the “government is imposing Israel and India’s agenda” on the nation.

However, in a conversation with CNN, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said that importing oil from Moscow is “impossible due to Western sanctions” despite the government’s request to buy wheat from Russia and Ukraine.

“Russia has not offered us any oil either. It is difficult for me to imagine buying Russian oil,” Miftah said in a conversation with the United States-based media outlet.

The finance minister said that Russia hasn’t responded to the previous government’s letter seeking imports as it is facing sanctions. Regardless of this, the incumbent government has again asked both Moscow and Ukraine, whoever can, to export wheat to Pakistan.”We would be happy to buy wheat from them,” he added.

Talking about the Pakistani-American delegation that recently visited Israel, the ex-PM said that it included a “government servant.”

He said that his party does not recognise Israel and will not until justice is served to the Palestinians. Earlier this month, a delegation, which included Pakistanis and Pakistani Americans, travelled to Israel to promote interfaith harmony which received sharp criticism from the Opposition. However, Pakistan’s Foreign Office quickly rubbished reports of involvement, explaining that the trip was arranged by a foreign NGO and not Pakistan.