ISLAMABAD -UNS: Chairman PTI and former prime minister Imran Khan on Saturday accused the coalition government of using the recent wave of terrorism to gain “political mileage” for their benefit.
In a televised address, the Imran claimed that terrorism was at its lowest-ever point during his government but resurfaced with a vengeance during the “current regime”.
“Look at the graph of terrorism and how it came down during the PTI government,” he said. “Why wasn’t there any terrorism when PTI was in the federal government?”
Imran pinned the responsibility of rising terrorism on incumbent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as he recalled the sacrifices made by the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the war on terror.
“This is why they (KP public) came out yesterday and thronged the streets in fear that there might be another operation,” he said, adding that countless innocent lives are lost during anti-terror operations.
The PTI chief added that “lies” were spewed by PM Shehbaz in the cabinet meeting over the weekend regarding KP not utilising the terrorism funding properly.
“KP spent Rs600 billion in nine years. We made four police training schools, an elite training school in Nowshera, a special combat force to fight terrorism,” Imran said. “This is why terrorism subsided. A DNA lab was also made in 2017 at Khyber Medical College.”
Commenting on the National Finance Commission (NFC) award, the ex-PM said only two provinces, Punjab and KP, followed through on the commitment and gave money for the uplift of tribal districts.
Imran said Sindh and Balochistan did not provide any money. “We invested Rs55b for the tribal districts. The PDM government only gave Rs5b.”
‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’
Imran also announced a “Jail Bharo Tehreek” as the next step to be taken by the PTI in light of the prevailing political situation that has seen several of its top leaders and allies spend time behind bars.
Elaborating on the movement, the PTI chief said “instead of thronging the streets, getting violent and ransacking places, we will now fill the jails of the country”.
