PTI won’t participate in TMQ long march, says Imran Khan

PESHAWAR - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman, Imran Khan, categorically said on Tuesday that PTI would not join the long march announced by the chief of Tehreek-e-Minhaj-ul-Quran, Dr Tahirul Qadri.

“But will record a historic protest if partial caretaker government is se tup before the forthcoming general elections,” he said while talking to media persons after offering condolence on the demise of former ameer Jamaat-e-Islami, Qazi Hussain Ahmad, Awami National Party leader and senior minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour, and PTI leader Arbab Dost Muhammad Khan on Tuesday.

The PTI chief said it was true as stated by Tahir-ul-Qadri that both the major parties were equally responsible for the present day crises in the country.

However, he added, PTI will stay away from the scheduled long march on Islamabad on January 14. “We will not join Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri’s long march,” he said.

He said that his party would not enter into electoral alliance with any party sitting in the ruling government.

Flanked by PTI President Javed Hashmi, Pervez Khattak, Shah Farman, Zahid Mohmand and Shaukat Khattak, he said that all the parties should be taken into confidence before the formation of a caretaker government, otherwise PTI would call for a historic protest that would sweep away the corrupt politicians. “We will not accept at all a caretaker setup formed after consulting only two parties”.

Moreover, he informed that PTI could forge electoral alliance with any opposition party for the elections, but not would that parties enjoying present governments. He added that Pakistan has been passing through hard times and the only solution to the prevalent messy situation was free, fair and impartial election in the country.

Imran Khan said that said that they would not accept the formation of care taker government upon the wishes of the two parties - Pakistan people’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz) - but wanted the inclusion of all political parties have an impartial setup to conduct free elections and get out of prevalent quagmire.

Earlier, he visited the house of Qazi Hussain Ahmed and condoled his death. Later, he also went to Bilour House where he offered condolence on the death of Bashir Ahmed Bilour and paid him rich tributes for standing against terrorism.

Besides, he also visited the residence of PTI’s leader Arbab Dost Mohamamd, who had breathed lost some days back. They offered fateha for the deceased and prayers for patience for his family members.