Imran says families of army personnel will march with him to Islamabad

KARACHI: Former prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said families of army personnel will also take part in his upcoming march to Islamabad to remove the “imported government that came to power through a US-backed conspiracy”.

Addressing a huge public meeting in Gujranwala, Imran said: “The police will also help you [in getting to Islamabad]. They will send their family members with you and government employees will [do the same] as well.

“And I know my army’s families will also come with us to Islamabad,” he added. The former prime minister is planning a long march towards Islamabad at a yet undecided date later this month in a bid to pressure the government into holding immediate elections as he claims that his government was “conspired against” and unfairly ousted by the US, with the help of his political opponents and in the form of a successful no-trust move against him last month.

Imran, in his speech said he would unveil the date of his long march during a rally in Multan on May 20 (Friday), and hoped he would win the “fight for real independence in Islamabad this month”.

Imran called on women, children and the elderly to participate in the march. He said he was calling the people to Islamabad to foil the “American conspiracy” and send a message to all the conspirators that Pakistan was an “free nation”.

“This isn’t politics, this is revolution,” Imran said, adding that the “biggest dacoits and mafias” of the country were standing on one side and the nation on the other.

“This is called revolution when the people become a nation and then we [can] combat these mafias who suck our blood. [We] will badly defeat them.”

Turning his aim at his political opponents, the PTI chairman lashed out at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accusing him of “polishing boots” of officials from the US Embassy.

“When he sees the army boot, he polishes them [with such vigour] that he sees his own reflection,” Imran said about PM Shehbaz, referring to his alleged appeasing of the military establishment.

Imran said PM Shehbaz and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif were “trapped”. “There is an ocean in front of them and Imran Khan is standing behind them.”

He claimed that the PML-N’s time was up and a “sea of people” would soon enter Islamabad and sweep them away.

Imran said the prime minister would not be able to escape the cases against him in the Federal Investigation Agency. “As soon as you go [from the prime minister’s seat], the investigation will start and we will take money from you and throw you in jail,” he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022