SUKKUR, Nov 27: Former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi joined Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) at a large rally in Ghotki on Sunday.

The PTI chairman also addressed the rally comprising disciples and followers of the Makhdoom of Multan and his own supporters and well-wishers.

In his 40-minute speech, Mr Qureshi said Pakistan’s nuclear programme was unsafe as long as Asif Ali Zardari was president of the country. He said Pakistan had bent over backwards to appease the United States and yet its soldiers were being killed in unprovoked Nato air strikes.

The former office-bearer of the PPP said Sindh belonged to its people and not to President Zardari. Benazir Bhutto sacrificed her life for democracy and the rule of law in the country but some people who were once described as suspects in her assassination were now cabinet colleagues of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Mr Qureshi said that he had been asked by President Zardari to become the chief minister of Punjab after forming a coalition government with the PML-Q. “But I refused because I didn’t want to sit alongside members of that party.”

Mr Qureshi said that he chose a town in Sindh to unveil his future plans because it was the legislature of this province which had adopted a resolution calling for creation of Pakistan before all others.

“I decided to hold the rally here because it’s time for all Pakistanis to rise and start efforts to save Pakistan. The country’s sovereignty and independence are in jeopardy,” he remarked.

He said that all those attending the rally should be praised wholeheartedly because they managed to make the event a success “despite efforts by the PPP-led coalition to create problems for its organisers”.

He said a change in government was badly needed because the parties ruling the country had brought the country to the brink of disaster “by compromising on principles and even bartering away sovereignty”.

In his speech, Mr Khan said the PTI would never become a “one-family party”.

He said he believed in merit and justice and that his children and other relatives would never “inherit party offices”.

Criticising the PPP, he said it could hardly be called a political party because it was being controlled by a single family.

The PPP had some good leaders (like Aitzaz Ahsan) but because it was run by one family such people were not allowed to come up. Instead, Bilawal would be leading the party simply because he belonged to the right family.

“A similar situation exists in the PML-N where even Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan will never be allowed to become the party president,” Mr Khan remarked.

Referring to the Nato air strikes on border posts on Saturday morning, he accused the ruling coalition of making compromises on issues of national interest. “The time has come for Pakistanis to give a befitting reply to the US and to stop the superpower from carrying out drone attacks.”

Mr Khan said the government must decide whether it wanted to continue its pro-Washington policies or fulfil the aspirations of people.

He said on Dec 25 his party would be holding a mammoth public meeting near the Quaid’s mausoleum in Karachi. “This public meeting will change the course of events,” he said.