Multan: The wildlife reserve of Changa Manga has become a hub for corrupt politicians who sell their loyalties for huge sums and benefits, said Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday.
“Politicians are being auctioned in Changa Manga,” he told a public gathering at Jalalpur Peerwala in Multan ahead of by-elections in NA-153.
“The Sharif brothers are buying consciences of politicians. These sold out politicians will never stand up for the public,” the PTI chief thundered, challenging the government-backed contestant in the constituency.
Imran said that politicians who cannot keep their integrity intact would never serve people with honesty and fair play. “The opportunist politicians could only serve their personal interests…they are money making machines…their aim is not serving the masses but to make money by hook or by crook,” Imran said asserting, “Time has come to defeat corrupt rulers.”
The PTI chief blamed the top leaders of PML-N of the worst form of horse trading. Imran cited the example of Qasim Noon the PML-N candidate for NA-153. When Noon was in PPP, he came to Shah Mahmood Qureshi for party ticket but he switched sides again and now he is in PML-N.
“Politicians are being purchased with the money taken from public exchequer,” Imran said.
He raised questions over the economic viability of the Multan Metro Bus project and its transparency.
He said the government is busy in extravagant spending when people are in the grip of poverty and unemployment. “Such level of unemployment was never witnessed in the history of Pakistan,” said Imran.
Inflation and unemployment have snatched bread and butter from the people, he added. In such stark economic circumstances, the government is committing the financial murder of farmers.
The farmers are passing through terrible times, he said pointing towards the rock bottom prices of rice, potatoes, sugarcane and cotton.
Growers are suffering because of the wrong policies of the government. The return on agricultural output has plunged but the cost of farm input has soared. “Farmers, tell me, has the urea and other fertiliser ever cost so much?” he said reminding that 100 per cent tax has been levied on diesel which runs tube wells and tractors.
He said farmers are suffering at the cost of the Metro Bus Project. Innocent farmers were fooled in the name of the Kissan package. The government gave candy with one hand, and snatched it with the other.
Jahangir Tareen and Shah Mahmood Qureshi also addressed the crowd.
