Imran Khan says conveyed to party to launch preparations for Islamabad march

Islamabad: Former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf chairman Saturday said he had asked his party to start preparations for Islamabad march.

"A huge sea of people will come to the capital in the march the date of which I will announce later," he said while addressing first press conference at his Bani Gala property after being ousted from the premierhsip.  

Khan said he had directed party leaders, including those at village level, to prepare for the march for what said "true freedom".

"People have begun to understand the joke that happened with them and the kind of people placed on us {as rulers}," he said, claiming that there was an unprecedented number of "criminals" and those who were out on bail in the newly formed federal cabinet.

The PTI chairman said the party would hold prayers on the 27th of Ramzan for the march's success.

Regarding telegram controversy, Imran said it had become visible that his claim of there being a foreign conspiracy against his government had proven "true", adding the National Security Committee (NSC) also confirmed that the minutes of the body's meeting last month when he was the premier were "correct".

Imran told reporters that yesterday's NSC meeting had "confirmed that the cable was genuine and the conversation with [US Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asia] Donald Lu was real".

"The language used in the cable was undiplomatic. I will say it was arrogance."

Terming the threat a "shameful" thing for the country, he said former prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and military ruler Pervez Musharraf had also received threats. "When a nation bows down before such threats and such conspiracies are successful, no one should have any doubts," he added.

"We all saw the spectacle after the no-confidence resolution was tabled — our allies suddenly started speaking up and our MNAs also remembered that the situation was not good."

The former premier said he wanted to clarify the country's economic situation at the time of his ouster.

The current account deficit was the lowest in 11 years, remittances and exports had reached new records, tax collection was at a historic level and five crops saw highest production, he stated.

"Then, this conspiracy was done against us and now, reserves are going down and the rupee is under pressure," he added.

The Supreme Court should have ordered an investigation into the "cable" instead of setting aside the National Assembly deputy speaker's decision to dismiss the no-confidence resolution and the subsequent dissolution of the NA, Imran said.

He said he wanted the apex court to hold an open hearing on the matter, terming it a big attack against the country's sovereignty and independence.

"If you don't do this, no prime minister will be able to withstand such threats and will fold his hands when foreign countries pressure [on matters] against the national interest."

If the Supreme Court ordered an investigation, it would become known which political leaders visited foreign embassies and their role in calling PTI lawmakers who were unhappy with the party, he said.

The "conspiracy" had become the greatest danger to Pakistan's democracy, he said, warning that "our children's future will be in danger if our institutions don't stand up."

Talking about the no-confidence vote, the former premier questioned whether the way "people sold their consciences and committed treachery with democracy" ahead of the vote was not important enough for the SC and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold daily hearings.

"I am shocked that the SC and ECP are not taking [action] urgently."

Referring to the SC's hearings on the presidential reference seeking its interpretation of Article 63-A, which is related to the disqualification of lawmakers over defection, Imran said the Article was important because if no action was taken against those who "participated" in the "foreign conspiracy", it would open the doors for similar incidents in the future.

Imran also lashed out at the new coalition government, terming them "shameless". The former opposition parties used to call each other thieves and robbers but were now part of the new government, he said.

"Nobody other than their family is seen, meaning that no one else is qualified," he said, referring to Shehbaz Sharif's election as prime minister and his son Hamza's election as Punjab chief minister.

"Both father and son are on bail. Could they not find someone else? What is a bigger conspiracy than the country being handed over to such people?" he asked.

He advised PM Shehbaz to "ask for forgiveness" since it had been proven that the cable was real.

The former prime minister demanded Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja's resignation, saying the PTI didn't trust the CEC because all his decisions were against the party.

Showing no fear as usual, Imran Khan said he was not afraid of his name being put on the Exit Control List (ECL) because he didn't want to go outside Pakistan.