KARACHI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan has said that Karachi is the economic hub of Pakistan where if the economic wheel moves, Pakistan moves forward, but unfortunately corruption and incompetence of the rulers has pushed the economy to the verge of collapse.

Deploring the pathetic condition of Karachi with garbage dumps everywhere, he compared the metropolis with Mumbai saying that when for the first time he visited that city it was dirty and ridden with poverty while Karachi appeared to be rich and clean where all Pakistanis lived in harmony. But now Mumbai had gone far ahead of Karachi.

The PTI chief, who arrived in the city on a three-day visit from Sehwan, had a busy schedule in the metropolis on Monday where besides talking to the media he also spoke at a number of gatherings, including ones organised by the SITE association, KPT union and PTI women’s wing.

During his speeches Imran Khan touched upon almost all the current issues.

He said for the first time the removal of a powerful prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, for corruption augured well for the future of Pakistan as the people had begun to realise that the biggest problem of Pakistan was corruption.

Says economy on verge of collapse because of corruption

He said that the disclosure of the JIT reports of Uzair Jan Baloch had pointed out that not only sugar mills but the houses around Bilawal House were forcibly taken over. Uzair Baloch also stated that he gave Rs10 million per month to Faryal Talpur and “killed people under their patronage”. He demanded an inquiry into all the charges. He said in Sindh the funds of health, education and drinking water were eaten away by corruption.

In reply to a question the PTI chief said that when the time came, his party could consider joining the GDA led by Pir Pagara in Sindh.

He announced that a public meeting would be held at Mazar-i-Quaid-i-Azam on Dec 25, urging the party workers to make preparation for it.

Speaking at the SITE association reception, Mr Khan said the KP government had introduced an efficient policing system which was being demanded by the police chief of Sindh to be replicated here.

Speaking to workers at Metroville in SITE, he said during the last four years’ rule in KP all appointments had been made on merit.

Referring to the criticism of ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, he said that in 2013 over 700 policemen were killed and even Asfandyar Wali could not enter Peshawar. In KP over 70 per cent terrorism had come down due to the depoliticised police.

Speaking at a gathering of businessmen, Mr Khan said that the biggest issue of Pakistan was unemployment which could be overcome with the assistance of the business community. Another big problem was shaky economy of the country. He deplored that exports were dwindling and imports were on the rise, and the finance minister was not aware of it.

SITE Association chief Siraj Qasim Teli, PTI leader Asad Omar and SITE association chairman Javed Balwani also spoke at the event.

When Imran Khan came to meet KPT union office-bearers, some PTI workers “misbehaved” with media persons, who protested and asked the PTI leaders to initiate action against the offenders. The media boycotted the rest of the functions of the PTI chief.

‘Intellectual empowerment of women a must’

“Women have a huge role to play in Pakistan’s future. Remember that a revolution which begins at home can never be defeated,” said Imran Khan while speaking at a PTI women convention here on Monday.

“When PTI comes into power in 2018, it will ensure the rule of law, intellectual empowerment of women and that women get their due share in inheritance,” he said.

Addressing the women of all ages and ethnicities crowding the auditorium, Mr Khan said his party was focused on the development and well-being of Pakistanis.

Sharing a success story of girls’ education, he said in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for every three new schools set up in the province, two were for girls. “We want to ensure that for every 100 colleges, 70 are for women and 30 for men,” he said.

“We want to ensure that women are given their due share in inheritance which they are deprived of in both urban and rural areas alike,” he added.

“Our economic policies are geared towards the elite and the common man has been left out of the process of uplift. It is a huge challenge for us to give a chance and provide opportunities to all Pakistanis — particularly women and children,” Mr Khan said.

Earlier, sharing her experience, Nusrat Anwar, a young politician of the PTI, said that when she was fielded to contest the 2016 by-election on PS-106 Liaquatabad, she was threatened, abused and harassed by her political opponents. “There were offers of bribe, too, but I stayed put, all for changing this country,” she said.—Habib Khan Ghori & Sumaira Jajja contributed to this report.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2017