Pakistan's former PM Imran Khan holds rally at Minar-i-Pakistan despite threats
The Hindu
Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan said a cabal of thieves have been imposed on the nation after toppling his government in April last year
Despite police placing containers inside Lahore to deter supporters, ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan managed to hold a big rally at Minar-i-Pakistan late on March 25.
The broadcast media in the country blacked out the coverage of the event .
Mr. Khan, who is facing threats to his life, addressed the rally from a bullet-proof glass. A large number of women also gathered at the historic park. The authorities blocked all major roads leading to Minar-i-Pakistan with containers and barricades. The people reached the venue by covering a long distance on foot because of these hurdles.
Lashing out at the PML-N-led government and “its handlers” for arresting and torturing over 2,000 of his party workers ahead of this rally, Imran Khan said “one thing is clear, whoever is in power, they will get a message today that people’s passion cannot be curbed via hurdles and containers.” He offered the powers that be to that he is ready to sit at home if they have any agenda to steer the country out of the economic quagmire. “The way the powerful circles are behaving in Pakistan today it seems that Imran Khan is the only problem of the country,” he lamented.
Mr. Khan also presented his party's roadmap for economic prosperity emphasizing the country needs difficult decisions to improve its tax collections and exports.
“A major surgery is needed to put our house in order. Overseas Pakistanis will bring their dollars to the country provided they are given incentives,” he said and added only 2.5 million Pakistanis out of 220 million pay taxes. There is a need to increase the tax base to achieve progress, he said and also proposed giving loans to young people to start businesses and reviving the mortgage scheme.
Mr. Khan said a cabal of thieves have been imposed on the nation after toppling his government in April last year.
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