'People's turnout in Punjab by-elections is New Pakistan, I prayed for it': Imran

Islamabad: PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan on Monday said the entire nation should be proud that the way people turned out in the Punjab by-elections, the way women turned out, and the way the youth turned out, is "New Pakistan".

Addressing the people of Pakistan in a televised speech, Khan said the way the people of Punjab have come out to vote, I also thank and pay tribute, it is a welcome for the country, I think it's time in the history of Pakistan we should all thank Allah Almighty as the people have understood their ideology.

The former premier said in the midst of his campaign in the Punjab by-elections, he told the nation only one thing that Pakistan meant was "Tera Mera Rishta Kia-La Ilaha Ila Allah as this is the ideology of Pakistan".

"La Ilaha Ila Allah Muhammad ul Rasoolullah is the name of a philosophy, the day we understand it, we will understand our ideology, the day we understand the ideology, then this nation will become great, a nation cannot become without an ideology."

Khan said when an imported government was imposed on us as a result of foreign conspiracy, the people started asking that Quaid-i-Azam had saved us from the slavery of Hindus, so we are not ready to be enslaved by anyone else, like these people imposed on us.

"I saw consciousness and awareness in my nation, so I am happy because we are going to become a nation by the grace of Allah."

The PTI chief said when we become a nation, all the problems including debts will start to be solved. 

"Have you have ever heard that Britain, France or Europe keep their money outside the country and make their children citizens of other countries. On the one hand our politicians claim they are ready to sacrifice their lives for Pakistan, but on the other they have parked their assests and wealth outside Pakistan."  

He said that the whole nation should be proud that the way the people came out, the way the women came out, and the youth came out, this is New Pakistan.

The former PM said an artificial political crisis was created when their government was in power. According to the economic assessment of Pakistan, after 17 years, the economy of Pakistan has made the most progress in the last two years of our government. Growth was 5.6 percent and 6 percent in the fourth year, all economic indicators of the country were better.

He said the biggest thing is industry, when big industries develop, taxes increase, the wealth of the country increases, in our time large-scale manufacturing was growing at a record level, 60 percent of the population. depends on agriculture, a record 4 crops were produced in two years, farmers did not get as much money for years as they did in our time.

PTI Chairman said that the sugarcane farmers did not even get the full rate of 180 rupees and the money was received in one year, we made the law and gave them the most money, record sales of motorcycles. It was that money went there.

He said the industry and agriculture were going well, all the records were broken in the textile sector, the textile sector was not getting workers in Faisalabad, during this period our exports and remittances also reached a record level, dollars are coming into the country.

He said the country's future is related to technology, the PTI government gave incentives to the IT sector due to which IT exports increased in two years. "We were on the right track."

Khan insisted that early elections were still the only solution to the country's woes.

Separately, Imran claimed that the CEC tried his best to turn the polls in favour of the PML-N.

"I am disappointed in the chief election commissioner. How could he let all this happen? He is not competent to run [the Election Commission of Pakistan] and is biased towards a political party. Raja should immediately resign."

He said his party did not trust the CEC, citing the example of Senate elections in 2021 in which Imran said evidence of bribery was seen.