ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday hinted at giving a call to the public to stop paying electricity bills if the ruling elite and the friendly opposition persisted with tax evasion and imposition of the proposed Reformed General Sales Tax (RGST).
Speaking at a big public meeting here at the Aabpara intersection, Imran said he would ask the people to stop paying power bills and taxes in the next phase once the country-wide anti-RGST and anti-corruption party demonstrations were over.
He warned if the rulers stuck to their anti-people policies, the PTI would give a call for a long march, which would not end at Gujranwala, a reference to the PML-N and lawyers march for the independence of the judiciary.
He asked President Zardari, Prime Minister Gilani, ex-premier Mian Nawaz Sharif and Maulana Fazlur Rehman to declare their assets, they owned inside Pakistan and abroad. “I shall deposit all my wealth in the national exchequer if these leaders make public their assets and the wealth in banks and start paying taxes,” the PTI chairman threw a challenge at the rulers and PML-N and JUI-F leadership amid loud chants of ‘down with the corrupt’ by the party flag-waving youth. Imran lamented that the entire Pakistan posed a question as to what was the solution to the ever-increasing price hike of commodities, as within 18 months the rates of essential items had doubled.
“It is in fact the price of the rich evading taxes and indulging in massive corruption that the common man is paying in the shape of massive power tariff and taxes and price spiral,” he maintained. As a result, today, he pointed out, Pakistan’s staggering 70 per cent population could earn hardly Rs6,000, which was not enough to make both ends meet. Imran wondered firstly who would fight corruption, as the corrupt rulers just could not lay hand on the corrupt as they themselves indulged in corruption.He noted that chicken prices and that of sugar had doubled in recent months and a selected class had minted billions of rupees and still they did not pay taxes. “How much tax did Nawaz Sharif pay?” asked a smiling Imran Khan when many from the audience shouted ‘Nawaz Sharif’.
He said Wapda had unearthed a huge number of illegal connections, but it could not lay hand on the culprits. “The poor masses are forced to pay the price of this massive power theft. The reason is a thief will never catch a thief. Zardari blames Nawaz for the mess and vice versa, and next morning they eat breakfast together,” he contended.
“The huge fabulous expenditures at the President House, Prime Minister, Governor Houses and Chief Minister Houses are being paid from your pocket...then why don’t you rise against this injustice and exploitation,” he asked.
Online adds: Imran Khan said that during their visits, all the rulers beg for loans and bow before the US leaders and compromise the country’s sovereignity.
Speaking at a big public meeting here at the Aabpara intersection, Imran said he would ask the people to stop paying power bills and taxes in the next phase once the country-wide anti-RGST and anti-corruption party demonstrations were over.
He warned if the rulers stuck to their anti-people policies, the PTI would give a call for a long march, which would not end at Gujranwala, a reference to the PML-N and lawyers march for the independence of the judiciary.
He asked President Zardari, Prime Minister Gilani, ex-premier Mian Nawaz Sharif and Maulana Fazlur Rehman to declare their assets, they owned inside Pakistan and abroad. “I shall deposit all my wealth in the national exchequer if these leaders make public their assets and the wealth in banks and start paying taxes,” the PTI chairman threw a challenge at the rulers and PML-N and JUI-F leadership amid loud chants of ‘down with the corrupt’ by the party flag-waving youth. Imran lamented that the entire Pakistan posed a question as to what was the solution to the ever-increasing price hike of commodities, as within 18 months the rates of essential items had doubled.
“It is in fact the price of the rich evading taxes and indulging in massive corruption that the common man is paying in the shape of massive power tariff and taxes and price spiral,” he maintained. As a result, today, he pointed out, Pakistan’s staggering 70 per cent population could earn hardly Rs6,000, which was not enough to make both ends meet. Imran wondered firstly who would fight corruption, as the corrupt rulers just could not lay hand on the corrupt as they themselves indulged in corruption.He noted that chicken prices and that of sugar had doubled in recent months and a selected class had minted billions of rupees and still they did not pay taxes. “How much tax did Nawaz Sharif pay?” asked a smiling Imran Khan when many from the audience shouted ‘Nawaz Sharif’.
He said Wapda had unearthed a huge number of illegal connections, but it could not lay hand on the culprits. “The poor masses are forced to pay the price of this massive power theft. The reason is a thief will never catch a thief. Zardari blames Nawaz for the mess and vice versa, and next morning they eat breakfast together,” he contended.
“The huge fabulous expenditures at the President House, Prime Minister, Governor Houses and Chief Minister Houses are being paid from your pocket...then why don’t you rise against this injustice and exploitation,” he asked.
Online adds: Imran Khan said that during their visits, all the rulers beg for loans and bow before the US leaders and compromise the country’s sovereignity.
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