PTI workers wanted to join the Faizabad sit-in, says Imran Khan

Published November 29, 2017
"The government has no idea what would have happened if this matter had escalated," says Khan. —Online
"The government has no idea what would have happened if this matter had escalated," says Khan. —Online

PTI chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday said his party workers were willing to join the Faizabad sit-in as "the matter had left the realm of politics".

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Khan said, "The government should know that whenever a question is raised on the finality of prophethood, there's always a reaction of great proportions because of the religious history attached with the matter."

"The whole nation should be grateful that the matter was wrapped up in two days, otherwise there would have been a catastrophe of great magnitude and these people [the government] would have hidden out of sight leaving the nation to bear the brunt of the disaster," Khan said.

"The government has no idea what would have happened if this matter had escalated; they should thank the army for stepping in and diffusing the situation," he added.

"I prayed two nafil-i-shukrana (prayer of thanks) when the army stepped in and fixed the situation" following the the botched Faizabad operation, the PTI chief further said.

He accused the government of trying to make changes to the Khatm-i-Nabuwwat declaration "through stealth" without discussing the matter at any parliamentary forum.

"We were all taken aback when this matter first blew up," he claimed.

"The question to be answered now is that who was responsible for this change in the declaration: did Zahid Hamid act alone, or were other people involved? This question will now have to be answered as it is part of the demands (made by Tehreek-i-Labbik Ya Rasool Allah) that the government has agreed upon," he said.

"Elections strengthen any nation and incompetent governments like this one weaken it," Khan said, while reiterating his earlier demand for early elections.

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