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Sunday, October 13, 2013
Protests if poll grievances not addressed: Imran* PTI chief urges government to withdraw increase in power tariff
* Says he will move SC against NAB chief’s appointment
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has said that his party would take to streets if the courts failed to provide justice in applications regarding poll rigging and did not withdraw the increase in electricity tariff.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday after a meeting of the core committee of the party, Imran questioned as to whether those who rigged the polls would be held accountable in the country. He said it had become difficult for a common man to get justice.
He said the PTI would hold consultations with the opposition parties and then hold protest demonstrations against hike in power rates.
He said the government instead of withdrawing the hike according to the decision of the Supreme Court had further increased it, which would bring a storm of inflation.
The PTI chairman asked the government to check theft and other corruption in power companies instead of increasing prices of electricity. Imran Khan opposed the appointment of Chaudhry Qamar Zaman and said that the new NAB chairman had been appointed by the PML-N and the PPP after a ‘compromise’, and that the new NAB head would not be able to take up mega corruption cases for accountability. He said the PTI would go to the Supreme Court against the appointment.
He said the former NAB chairman had stated that in Pakistan there was a daily corruption of Rs 12 billion, and if it was stopped, Pakistan could be turned into a welfare state.
He said that because of corruption, Pakistan was paying dearly in the form of taxes and increase in prices of electricity, gas and consumer items.
Imran Khan referred to FBR figure that 300,000 wealthy people were not paying their due taxes and only 700,000 Pakistanis were paying direct taxes. He criticised the government for exempting the wealthy and burdening the common man through indirect taxes.
The PTI chairman said the verification of thumb impressions in two constituencies had proved that the general election was rigged, and that was why they had appealed to the Supreme Court to order verification of thumb impressions in four constituencies.
He said now the Election Commission, NADRA and scientific foundation were holding each other responsible. inp
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk