ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had now entered the final phase of its struggle to build the country on the principles of Riyasat-i-Madina — a society based on justice, compassion and dignity of human beings.

“Today is PTI’s 23rd anniversary. Our struggle has been the greatest of any party since independence and gone through three phases,” the prime minister said in a series of tweets he made on the occasion of the party’s founding day. Mr Khan said the first phase of the PTI’s struggle was focused on mobilisation of people on its message regarding change, to fight the corrupt status quo and make people aware that a nation only progressed by developing its human resources.

“It took 15 years in the politics wilderness before my message penetrated among the masses. It took another seven years to convert our movement into a party, capable of fighting elections,” he said.

PTI’s chief organiser Saifullah Khan said in a message that the sapling which was planted on April 25, 1996, has now grown into a strong tree. The people from across the country had now gathered on the PTI’s platform, he said.

He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the process of reforms was under way and arrangements had been finalised to turn the PTI into a ‘well-organised’ party.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the PM on Information and Broadcas­ting Firdous Ashiq Awan and provincial information ministers Samsam Bukhari of Punjab and Shaukat Yousufzai of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa called on the prime minister.

Mr Khan directed them to highlight national identity in an effective way through the media.

The meeting focused on how to improve coordination between the Centre and the two provinces, where the PTI rules, for timely information sharing.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2019