ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday paid rich tributes to the Supreme Court judges who gave verdict against Nawaz Sharif.
Kaptaan also praised the members of joint investigation team (JIT).
Addressing a mammoth public gathering in Parade Ground to celebrate Nawaz Sharif’s removal, the skipper thanked the participants for turning up in huge numbers on a short notice. He said that he saw a spirited nation before him, which is aware of its issues. The skipper added that he would go after Asif Zardari and Shahbaz Sharif.
Hailing the women participants, he said they were equally involved in changing the landscape of the country and were well aware of their rights.
“My mother taught me to stand for justice, truth and what is right,” Kaptaan said, adding that he wanted youngsters to follow the same.
“I thank and pay tribute to those five judges and members of the Panamagate JIT on behalf of the nation,” Khan said.
He said, “Judges asked us to come to the Supreme Court instead of protesting in streets, but it disappointed my workers when I decided to go to the court. People’s Party and Tahirul Qadri termed our decision a mistake.”
“We knocked on judiciary’s doors instead of taking to the roads because the SC judges asked us to come to the court,” said Khan. “We are thankful to the judiciary because with the judgment, they brought us a new hope.”
PTI leaders, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Jahangir Tareen and Asad Umar, along with Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, also addressed the huge crowd.
Finally, Nawaz has been disqualified after the four-year long movement of PTI, said PTI General Secretary Jahangir Tareen.
“Now, Nawaz Sharif has put forward Shahbaz Sharif for the premiership. The younger brother will also be held accountable for the Model Town tragedy,” said Tareen. “Nawaz Sharif will have to go to jail.”
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak congratulated the apex court, the JIT and the nation.
He said that the credit for the ouster of Nawaz Sharif goes to Imran Khan. “Khan often surprised us with his tremendous achievements,” he said, adding that Imran Khan has become a nightmare for corrupt rulers.
“If you want to make a new Pakistan, then you will have to bring the Panama issue to its logical conclusion,” he said.
Addressing the people of Punjab, he asked them to gear up to bring Shahbaz down. “The PML-N leaders faced a defeat in the court of law and now they will also face a humiliating defeat in the people’s court,” he remarked.
While addressing the gathering, Asad Umar said that the struggle which started against four flats ended on four iqamas, adding that it was as easy as making a hotel reservation and booking a plane ticket to get a UAE visa.
He blamed Nawaz for amassing the burden of loans on the people of Pakistan. “The debt is a national security risk for the country,” he said. “During Nawaz Sharif’s four years in government, the income of Pakistan has reduced and losses have increased.”
Three entry points were established at the Parade Ground; one for media, one for VIPs and one for the public.
Published in Daily Times, July 31st , 2017.
