The long march was called off for the day after a reporter of a local TV channel, Sadaf Naeem died after she was crushed under PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s container on Sunday.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran earlier in the day said that his party was with the Pakistan Army and wants it “to be strong”. The former premier made these comments during his address on the third day of the ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’ march to Islamabad.
During the speech, Imran maintained that whenever “we criticise the army it is always constructive criticism”.
In his message to the establishment, Imran, however, refrained from his criticism of the DG ISI. “India don’t misunderstand, we stand with our army,” he said, adding that the neighbouring country was celebrating after DG ISI’s press conference as it believes that the army and Imran Khan are having “a face-off”.
“I want to tell India that this army is ours and I can never be against it,” the former prime minister said.
The PTI chief went on to say that he wants to see the army as a “strong institution” and wants the people to stand with them.
Imran Khan hit back at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as he resumed his ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’ march to Islamabad from Muridke.
Addressing the participants of the march, Imran said “Shehbaz Sharif you gave a statement that I sent a message to you that we should sit together and decide about the army chief… look Shehbaz Sharif listen to me I don’t talk to boot polishers.”
Responding to Shehbaz, Imran further questioned “what is the benefit of talking to you? What do you have to talk about?”
“The way you were brought in power, at first you begged the Americans then you hid in the trunk of a car, and then polished boots,” he alleged.
The former premier further said that: “Today you [Shehbaz] are roaming around in the world asking for money.”
Reiterating his party’s demand for free and fair elections, Imran said “we only want fair and transparent elections and we will accept whatever the people of Pakistan decide.”
He added that he also wants rule of law in the country. “I want the rights of my people to be protected. We are humans, we are not sheep and goats.”
Imran once again called on the chief justice of Pakistan to establish the rule of law. “These people who are sitting on top of the law, bring them under the law,” he said referring to the CJP. “Powerful bandits get NRO and the poor face jail,” Imran added.
