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Updated 26 Apr, 2014 12:21am

Imran vows to come out on streets for ‘new Pakistan'

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Friday said that his party would come out on the streets to stage protests for building a ‘new Pakistan,’ DawnNews reported.

Speaking to party workers during a ceremony held to mark the 18th anniversary of the PTI’s foundation, he vowed to stage protests for ‘true democracy’ in the country on May 11 – the day Pakistanis observed historic first ever general elections on completion of tenure of a democratically elected government last year.

It should also be mentioned that Allama Tahirul Qadri has also announced a country-wide protest on May 11 next month. Qadri, with thousands of his followers, took to the streets in Islamabad in the run up to the historic May 11 polls demanding sweeping changes to the electoral system of the country.

Reiterating his allegation of poll rigging against ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the PTI chief demanded the authorities to take the alleged culprits behind fixing “punctures” to task. He said that his party has neither accepted the results of the May 11 polls nor will they accept it in the future.

“People cast their votes to some people while others came out as victorious in the May 11 elections,” he alleged.

Criticisizing Geo TV and its senior anchorperson Hamid Mir, who was wounded in an attack in Karachi last week, the PTI chief said that hurling allegations at Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) was shameful.

He demanded the Pemra to look into what he alleged as ‘foreign funding’ to certain media houses.

The cricketer-turned-politician said that only a stronger army will ensure a stronger Pakistan, demanding legal proceedings for the alleged culprits of election rigging.

“Those who rigged the May 11 polls should be brought to the book under Article 6 as well,” he said in an obvious reference to the high treason trial of former military ruler Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf.

Imran Khan also accused former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry for poll rigging, saying he was also involved in “the match-fixing.”

He claimed that his party’s struggle was for a fair democratic system in the country as under the prevailing system only the rich can afford to become parliamentarians.

“The movement that started 18 years ago will build a new Pakistan,” said the PTI chief.

He said that he as the chief of ruling party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa never appointed any person on any key government post.

Imran Khan vowed to continue his fight for basic rights of education and health for the downtrodden.

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