Imran Khan, a former prime minister of Pakistan and chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party, has compared his ‘struggle for real freedom’ with that of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the architect of independent Bangladesh.
In an address at a long march in the Gujranwala area of Pakistan on Tuesday, the PTI chairman also reminded that Awami League’s legitimate electoral mandate to rule Pakistan was denied before the independence of Bangladesh, according to Dawn.
Imran Khan’s party started its long march on Friday and the march still had not moved beyond Gujranwala, falling way behind its schedule, on its fifth day.
“A shrewd politician [ZA Bhutto], in his greed for power, set the armed forces against the then largest party [Awami League], which had won elections,” he said.
Comparing the PTI with Awami League, Imran Khan said his party was the “largest and sole federal party” and yet he was denied fresh elections by the Pakistan government.
“Everyone knows Mujibur Rahman and his party won the general elections in 1970. Instead of handing over power, a clever politician set Awami League and the army on a collision course... at present, Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari are playing a similar role as they are trying to conspire with the establishment to block the PTI’s journey back to power,” the former premier alleged.
Speaking at the rally, Imran Khan also challenged former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to an electoral contest. “Nawaz Sharif I challenge you: when you come back, I will beat you in your constituency!” he thundered.