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Sunday, December 22, 2024  
19 Jumada Al-Akhirah 1446  

'Friends not masters', says Imran on ties with US

Turncoats don't stand a chance against PTI candidates in Punjab by-polls, says PTI chief

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairperson Imran Khan said on Thursday that he is all for ties with the United States but on an equal footing.

"Slavery is not acceptable," thundered Imran while addressing supporters in Sheikhapura on Thursday. "Who is the US to stop us from buying oil from Russia," said Imran.

He also struck a confident tone regarding the upcoming by-polls in Punjab on seats vacated after the de-notification of PTI's dissident lawmakers.

"Lotas (turncoats) cannot defeat PTI candidate in the by-elections. Such people don't have passion and are completely reliant on money."

He claimed that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is in cahoots with Hamza Shehbaz, the interim chief minister of Punjab. "They are trying to contrive ways to get these lotas (turncoats) successful in the election."

But, he added, that the 'imported government, US-sponsored regime change conspiracy, and turncoats are unacceptable' to the people of Pakistan.

Taking a potshot at his political rivals, he said that poor policies of the present government was creating problems. "Farmers are very upset due to inflation and industries are badly affected due to the increase in the price of diesel."

He accused the leaders of the coalition government of funneling their ill-gotten gains abroad and stashing them in Western banks and offshore companies. "They want an NRO-like order to save this ill-gotten wealth."

He claimed that the Sharif clan and Asif Zardari, the former president and co-chairperson of the PPP, are ready to recognize Israel 'to save their money'.

He said they have a similar approach for India as well. "They are willing to ignore the sacrifices of the Kashmiris."

He said the coalition leaders would even join another US war in order to protest their wealth.

'During the rule of Zardari and Nawaz Sharif, the US carried out 400 drone strikes in Pakistan," he said, saying it claimed thousands of innocent lives.

"When the drone strikes took place, these people were on trips abroad. They met the US President but did not dare to talk about the drone strikes," he said.

The former prime minister said that he also wants to be friends with the United States but slavery is not acceptable in any case. Similarly, he said he would to establish friendly and good relations with India but not at the expense of Kashmiris.

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