“We will not accept slavery of anyone- we can be friends with all, but will not be slaves to anyone.”
“We will never compromise on our national interests,” Imran Khan told a mammoth gathering here at the Parade ground, attended by people from across the country, on his call to stand up with what is right and up against the evil – ‘amr bil maroof’.
Addressing a charged crowd, including a large number of women, Imran Khan said the recent revival of the joint opposition alliance – Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) was in fact funded by “certain” foreign powers with the sole objective of removing a democratically elected government, as it dared to pursue its national interests and follow an independent foreign policy.
“I have never bowed before anyone, except Allah, and will never let my nation bow to anyone,” Imran Khan said as the huge crowd endorsed his resolve.
The Prime Minister disclosed that for the past several months’ efforts were being made to influence Pakistan’s foreign policy. Without naming any country or foreign power, Imran Khan read out a “carefully drafted statement” and said Pakistan desires to be friends with all.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said “efforts were being made from abroad to influence our Foreign Policy, for the past few months,” and said Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi fully knows about it.
He said funding from foreign countries was being funnelled into Pakistan, to conspire against a sitting government.
“We know exactly well from where [foreign] influence is being exerted. We will not compromise on our national interests. And I am not levelling any baseless allegations. I have this letter here with me that proves what I have said.”
He waved the letter – the proof, before putting it back in his pocket and said, “we are being threatened.”
“There are many things that will be unveiled soon at an appropriate time. The nation wants to know, that the person in London meets whom? and on whose tunes the characters in Pakistan were dancing.”
The public gathering was held at the Parade ground, which on 23rd March witnessed a grand military parade, where Pakistan showcased its military prowess and was also witnessed by foreign ministers and dignitaries who were in Pakistan for the 48th meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Imran Khan said he has all the proof, but he would not go into the details as he wants to protect the interests of Pakistan. He said he has not shared full details. He said he was grateful to Allah Almighty as He has bestowed upon him everything that he ever wished. “No person can give me anything more,” he said.
“Will you let them go ahead with this conspiracy?” Imran Khan asked the crowd which chanted “No” in unison.
“Only respectable nations can rise, not those who roam around with a begging bowl.”
Prime Minister Imran Khan regretted that certain foreign players were now using the opposition parties to pitch up against his government to achieve their nefarious designs. He appreciated the efforts made by late Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to pursue an independent foreign policy, an exercise that cost him his life.
Imran Khan said; “I might have many differences with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto but he was an honourable man. When he tried to give Pakistan an independent foreign policy, parties of Fazalur Rehman and absconder Nawaz Sharif joined hands, initiated a movement and created similar conditions, and it eventually led to the hanging of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.”
Today the son in law of Z A Bhutto; Asif Ali Zardari and his son Bilawal Bhutto, just in their lust for power have disregarded the sacrifice of their grandfather were today sitting with his murderers. Pakistan today has again been put to face a similar situation, he added.
“We are fully aware who has united them, but the times have changed and nothing is hidden anymore.” He said a few were part of the conspiracy knowingly, while others were following their leaders blindly.
Imran Khan quoted a saying; “You only cross the river once – time like water flows away – this is the time of social media, nothing is hidden, the people of Pakistan are now fully aware.”
Imran Khan said the nation now has to decide whether they will let those who were getting foreign funding and conspiring to overthrow his government? “No” came a resounding response.
Imran Khan said it was the major reason that he invited them to the Parade ground as being a democratically elected person he had to go back to the people and seek their opinion.
He said Pakistan was a great country with huge potential and an equally great nation. But regretted that few corrupt families have mercilessly plundered its wealth.
He said the entire nation will watch closely how the parliamentarians vote when the National Assembly meets for the Vote of No Confidence.
“Resign if you do not agree with the party. But do not blame it on your conscience when you see 25 crore in front of you,” he addressed the parliamentarians who won on the PTI seats, but had joined opposition parties to vote against their own party leader.
“The nation will neither forgive nor forget,” Imran Khan said.
The Prime Minister said three stooges of the opposition had looted the country for thirty years and now they wanted NRO so that they could protect their billions of dollars worth properties and offshore accounts.
He said General Musharraf did injustice to the nation in order to save his rule by giving NRO to opposition.
He assured that he would not give NRO to opposition leaders as in Islam everybody was equal before the law.
Developing countries were not poor because of lack of resources, but because their legal systems protected those who looted wealth and stashed their money abroad, he added.
He appreciated his supporters who remained steadfast despite the offers of money.
He said in the Islamic welfare state education and health facilities were free. In the state of Madinah the state took responsibility for the welfare of vulnerable sections of society, he said adding China was an example of welfare state as it took out 700 million people out of poverty. Welfare state ensured the protection of rights of women.
He said he was on the path of making Pakistan a welfare state. Unlike Pakistan, no country in the world had universal health coverage under which health insurance of Rs one million to every person was given so he could get free treatment in the best hospitals.
He said unprecedented amount of money was spent through Ehsaas programme in which people were given Rs 500,000 as a loan and Rs two million for construction of houses.
He said Rs 250 billion were given as subsidy on petrol and the government also reduced Rs five per unit on electricity with subsidy of Rs 250 billion.
He promised that further tax collection would be spent on the well being of poor. Pakistan would be made a great nation with the passion of its people.
He said our country would only make progress and lives of poor would be made better if it followed the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The Prime Minister said PTI government would considerably decrease poverty in Pakistan.
He said the PTI government was burdened with the loans taken by the past governments.
“I will not forgive opposition even if I lose my life or lose my government,” he vowed.
In the Riyasat e Madina, he further said rights of minorities were protected and he would create a country where rights of minorities would be protected.
He promised that he would reform the system so that everybody could get justice and women could get all their rights particularly rights of inheritance.
Islam gave the right of inheritance to women 1500 years back but today 70 percent of women were not getting their inherited property.
He said slaves should be treated on the basis of equality and in Pakistan domestic help should be treated in a good manner.
It was responsibility of the nation to wage struggle against evil and stand with piety, he remarked.
The Prime Minister recalled that when the United States and Britain attacked Iraq, two million people took to the streets in London against the war.
Talking about foreign policy, he said Pakistan would not be part of any war but would bring together the world.
He said his government had performed remarkably well and took historic measures in the last three and a half years for the betterment of people.
The government effectively tackled the coronavirus pandemic and protected the livelihoods of daily wage earners, labourers and workers despite the criticism. The international community acknowledged that the PTI government saved the national economy, tackled coronavirus and protected the daily wage earners, he added.
He said during the pandemic, the economy of Pakistan grew at a rate of 5.6 percent, exports were at record level, record number of taxes were collected, remittances were all time high and construction industry got a boost with investment of Rs 1500 billion.
There was record production of wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane and potatoes and the government protected the sugarcane farmers and ensured that they got good support prices, he went on to say.
New incentives were given to medium and large scale industry and the industries grew considerably, he added.
Imran said the government in collaboration with banks gave subsidy of Rs 30 billion so that salaried classes could build their homes.
He said keeping in view the problem of water shortages, after 50 years mega dams were being constructed.
By 2025, Mohmand dam would be constructed and Peshawar would get water for drinking and agriculture, he added.
Bhasha dam would be completed in 2028 and the supply of water would double, making water available for drinking purposes in cities and for agriculture, he informed.
The Prime Minister urged media to call the experts of economy so that they could compare the performance of the present and previous governments.
He said after the construction of Islamabad, a new Ravi city would be built along the Ravi river to save the city of Lahore from pollution.
Two million trees would be planted in the new city and barrage would be constructed to bring up the ground water table in Lahore. Modern high rises would be constructed along Nullah Leh in Rawalpindi to develop the city’s economy, he added.
The Prime Minister said the government signed a new agreement for gold and copper Riko Diq project in Balochistan.
Previously Pakistan was fined Rs 2000 billion in the international court but he was proud to announce that after negotiations of three years, fine was waived and the company came back to Pakistan and would be making an investment of Rs nine billion for the Riko Diq project with a new agreement.
The people of Balochistan would benefit most from the mining project and pressure would ease on rupee against the dollar, he added.
He told that he talked with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and got waived off the fine of Rs 200 billion on a rental power project.
The Prime Minister said the government signed new contracts with gas companies and independent power producers and with these contracts Pakistan would save Rs 700 billion in ten years.
He said Pakistan Muslim League-N did corruption of Rs 1000 billion in the construction of roads and its leaders bought properties in London.
He said PTI government was the first government which talked about climate change and planted one billion trees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Pakistan would be made a center of tourism, adding international airport was constructed in Skardu and Pakistan would be made capital of skiing.
Talking about opposition, he said Nawaz Sharif made 18 factories by taking bank loans and later got them waived off, similarly Asif Zardari made huge wealth with corruption.
He said the nation would witness the no confidence motion proceedings and would not forgive those who would take money to vote against the government.
He urged members of the opposition to not support the no confidence motion.
The Prime Minister said it was his honour that he got adopted the resolution on Islamophobia in the United Nations General Assembly.