Pakistan Reader# 511, 12 January 2023
Joel Jacob
On 11 January, Imran Khan in a speech to the members of the Punjab parliamentary party said his party members were asked to part ways with him and were being made to believe that he had been marked with a ‘red line’ and had no political future, and vowed to erase all such barriers with the help of his supporters. He alleged the establishment behind forcing the PTI lawmakers to switch loyalties ahead of Parvez Elahi’s trust vote. He further said that those who wanted to write him off were “arrogant” and without political acumen.
What did he say?
Imran Khan said, “Pakistan belongs to the Pakistanis. Only Pakistanis can mark a red line on someone. He added, those who talk about the red line do not understand history and politics, nor do they understand the “mood of the Pakistani population”. Imran further criticised the leaders of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and alleged that ever since the multi-party alliance had assumed power, they were focused on ending their corruption cases and getting NROs. If some people are arrogant enough to think about red lining any personality, then they have no sense of politics, neither they read the history nor care for the country.”
He said that the PTI would give up Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and would try to hold elections for the same. Imran Khan said a decision would be made in two days and said the party would succeed in both provinces. He challenged the state that the political engineering made to damage PTI would be swept away by the ‘sea of his followers. He emphasized the by-polls elections result as people’s power to shatter the plans of the establishment.
Imran Khan also said that he was monitoring the PTI’s Punjab legislators whose support was crucial to retain Parvez Elahi, stating that the victory target was not far away, He welcomed independent MPA Bilal Warraich who joined the PTI and met the CM to discuss the impending vote of confidence in the assembly. Imran Khan alleged that the MP of PTI has been told that party had no future and to join PMLN and was tempted with money.
References
“PTI MPs, allies being told red line marked on me, says Imran Khan,” The News International, 12 January 2023
“Imran says undeterred in face of ‘red lines’ around him,” Dawn,12 January 2023
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