Lahore: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan announced that his party will hold power show at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore on Wednesday, same venue from where he kicked off his successful 2013 election campaign.

During an address to his supporters, Imran said that event would now take place on Wednesday, serving as referendum to determine nation’s position. “Everyone will know where nation stands and where cabal of crooks and their handlers stand.” Imran said that government wanted to arrest him and take him to Balochistan with intention of preventing him from issuing election tickets to party members. He said that they had decided to hold rally on March 8 and that police had granted permission for event on March 7. However, he added that following day, containers were placed everywhere, which left them surprised.

He wondered how Section 144 could be imposed after announcement of elections. “I decided to cancel rally scheduled for March 8 as there was risk of chaos,” he added. Imran said that he requested to have his case shift to session court as he feared another assassination attempt, but instead of shifting case, they issued warrant against him. “Even Rana Sanaullah had warrants issued against him, but no action was taken against him. He resorted to baton-charging and teargas shelling on Zaman Park.”

He alleged that government was trying to incite violence by throwing tear gas shells. Imran said he faced difficulty in reaching court on Saturday and that he only went to submit his attendance, adding that police fired tear gas shells even when they were outside court.

He feared that there was plan to assassinate him and that an atmosphere of chaos was being created so that he would step out of his car.

“There would have been bloodshed if car had not sped out quickly during shelling in Islamabad,” he claimed. He refuted claims that bottles of liquor, Kalashnikovs and petrol bombs were found at his residence, saying that there was no rocket science involved in making petrol bombs. “All it takes is pouring fuel into bottle and throwing it, and that’s what petrol bomb is,” he explained. Some 96 terrorism and murder cases have been fabricated against him.

Published in The Daily National Courier, March, 20 2023

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