Imran Khan Jalsa in Karachi 25 december
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KARACHI: Addressing a mammoth crowd at the Quaid’s Mausoleum, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf Chief Imran Khan signaled that his party’s tsunami was reaching new heights, on its way to fulfilling his dream of forming the government.
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“When I saw Tsunami in Lahore, I thought to myself it will be very difficult to top this. But today, I congratulate the people of Karachi, because they beat the [October 30] rally,” Imran said. He chanted the names of all of Pakistan’s major ethnicities as people from those groups responded. Mentioning religious minorities, he wished a merry Christmas to the Christians of Pakistan.
The PTI Chairman said a special welcome to a man he introduced as Zulfiqar Ali who had come all the way from Dera Ghazi Khan to attend the rally. “He financed his trip by selling his mobile phone!”
“I welcome Javed Hashmi to PTI. The one thing I truly admire about him is his bravery. I welcome Shah Mahmood Qureshi again,” he said. He then made the announcement that former foreign minister Sardar Asif Ali has said that he will be joining the PTI.
“The Quaid wanted Pakistan to be an Islamic welfare state, and I will make it into one,” Khan said. He said that it was at the age of 18 when he first went to Britain and understood what a welfare state is.
“I was surprised to see that every person, rich or poor, was given a free education that would enable him or her to even become the prime minister of Britain,” he said. “This is my dream: A Pakistan where every human being is valued.”
“The first thing we want to create is a just legal system in the country. We want courts that do not discriminate. We will take justice to the grassroots, to the rural areas and include everyone in the system,” Imran said. “We will provide everyone justice for free.”
“This is my promise to you: I will bring forth for you a team the likes of which this country has never seen,” Imran said. “What will this team do? Under Jahangir Tarin, this team will present policy papers on every issue twice a month. We will present policies on agriculture, transport, local government, and foreign affairs. We will present to you how Pakistan will become an independent nation.”
And most importantly, PTI will present a tax plan that will ensure that this country never has to beg for money from anybody, he said. “We will create a police force independent of political influence, based purely on merit. When I am in government, one day they will even stop Imran Khan’s own car for over speeding.”
Announcing his support for Balochistan, he said that the next stop of his ‘tsunami’ will be Quetta on March 23, 2012. “My Balochi brothers, I ask you for forgiveness on behalf of Pakistanis. We have been unjust to you. We did to you what we did to East Pakistanis. We have kept you as a colony.”
When PTI is in power, we will use the model of West and East Germany, he said. “West Germany gave East Germany special status and diverted all development to thast area. We will develop Balochistan. We will come to you, embrace you, ask for your forgiveness, and address all your grievances,” he said.
The PTI Chairman did not raise criticism against the MQM in his speech.
End of live updates
8:48pm
PTI Chief Imran Khan addresses the rally.
“When I saw Tsunami in Lahore, I thought to myself it will be very difficult to top this. But today, I congratulate the people of Karachi, because they beat the [October 30] rally,” Imran says. He chanted the names of all of Pakistan’s major ethnicities as people from those groups responded. Mentioning religious minorities, he wished a merry Christmas to the Christians of Pakistan.
He said a special welcome to a man he introduced as Zulfiqar Ali who had come all the way from Dera Ghazi Khan to attend the rally. “He financed his trip by selling his mobile phone!”
“I welcome Javed Hashmi to PTI. The one thing I truly admire about him is his bravery. I welcome Shah Mahmood Qureshi again,” he said.
He then made the announcement that former foreign minister Sardar Asif Ali has said that he will be joining the PTI.
08:00pm
Qureshi says that when he was the foreign minister of Pakistan, he expressed opinions against the US-India civil nuclear deal. However, he says President Zardari sent out a message that Pakistan will not go against any such nuclear deal.
Qureshi says that a nuclear deal between US and India severely undermines Pakistan.
If Pakistan ever signs “no first strike” agreement with India, its nuclear assets will be wasted and worthless, Qureshi says.
He “accuses” President Zardari of ruining the deterrent value of Pakistan’s nuclear program by saying ‘no first strike’ on India.
The PTI vice chairman assures the people that Pakistan’s nuclear assets are physically safe but are threatened by such “evil” decisions and such people.
Clarifying PTI’s stand on India, Qureshi says that his party wants friendship with everyone, with the US and India. But it would not tolerate slave-master relations.
“We want friendship and not slavery,” says Qureshi.
“If you want to see this country as an independent country, then vote for a leadership that has the guts to take bold stand on all such decisions,” Qureshi says.
7:44pm
Shah Mahmood Qureshi addresses the jalsa.
“Today, PIA, Wapda and all other institutions of the country are failing continuously but all these things can improve if the people of Pakistan decide to vote for a leadership that can bring about that change,” Qureshi says.
He said that all these failures are a result of incompetence and corruption. There are five things that everyone has agreed upon: “Firstly, democracy. Everyone wants democracy and no one is conspiring against the government. Prime Minister Gilani, it is your corruption that is a conspiracy against your own government. Secondly, justice. If you want justice in the country, vote for the PTI. The party will ensure that justice prevails. Thirdly, an independent judiciary. The present set-up has buried the concept of necessity. Fourth, free media which will promote accountability and democratic values. And lastly, Pakistan’s nuclear programme. Ensuring its security is something everyone agrees on. Would you let anyone trade our nuclear capability?” Qureshi said.
He said that as a former foreign minister of Pakistan, he knows that this programme protects Pakistan from outside threat. “Pakistan’s nuclear programme is under a five-layered security system and is of international standards. But then you wonder what the threat is about? There is no physical threat but there is a threat from certain people.”
People scream Zardari’s name. “Everyone said my comments [about Zardari] were irresponsible but I still stand by my comments,” Qureshi says.
7:26pm
“Go Zardari Go” trends worldwide on Twitter.
Chants of “Go Zardari Go” as Shah Mahmood Qureshi takes the stage.
“Now that Karachi has woken up, it is as if Pakistan has awaken from its slumber. I congratulate the people of Karachi for attending this historic gathering. Our mission was to heal the bruises of Karachi and unite Karachiites and today’s rally has done that,” he said.
Quaid, you provided us with a country that we have failed to protect, but today we have gathered to protect this country, Qureshi said. “Everyone can see that things are changing. I can see people smiling. I can see their eyes shining.”
“Pakistan is under threat because of our own weaknesses. No one from outside will come to help us, we have to mend things ourselves,” he said.
7:19pm
Javed Hashmi addresses the rally, amid shouts of “Ek Bahadur Aadmi, Hashmi, Hashmi”.
“We have gathered here for peace. This gathering, made up of the young generation of Pakistan, is the harbinger of a revolution,” the former PML-N stalwart said. “Today is the birthday of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. When he made this country, he wanted to ensure justice for Muslims of the subcontinent. Justice was his slogan and movement for justice is Imran’s slogan. This is why we have come forward to provide justice. It is the youth of this country who will achieve that.”
Talking about his former party, Hashmi said that PML-N workers also want Pakistan to prosper and progress. “I love those workers and my former party but I love the people of Pakistan more than that and that is why I have come here.”
Hashmi, who joined the PTI earlier this week, said that when he was considering joining the PTI, he was humbled by Imran Khan’s invitation. “For the first time, a leader said to me that I have never gone to ask anyone to join the party but I have come to you and not for myself but for Pakistan. How could I say no to that?”
For years, I was alone in demanding that leaders declare their assets. Now this is Imran’s voice and I would like to him that I will not back off [from my support of him], he said.
Addressing the people, he said, “Now, I hand you my 40 years of hard work. No one can raise questions over financial, social and political matters throughout my career or doubt my dedication to this country.”
7:05pm
Light grid on the right side of the stage (if your back is towards it) just fell forward. A group of people is standing there.
