New Delhi: Former Pakistan Prime Miniter Imran Khan held a big rally at Minar-i-Pakistan late on Saturday night despite a threat alert to political events in Lahore. In his address, Khan lashed out at the incumbent government led by-PM Shehbaz Sharif. Referring to the economy of India, Khan said that inflation in Pakistan is three times at 31 percent as compared to India’s 6.5 percent. 


He claimed that during his tenure, India’s inflation stood at 5.5 percent and Pakistan’s at around 9-10 percent. He quoted prices of cooking oil, petrol-diesel, and flour to highlight the deteriorating conditions of Pakistan’s economy. 


He said flour is being sold at PKR (Pakistan Rupee) 155 per kg. Khan said the dollar at present stands at PKR 283 whereas it was PKR 178 when he was the Prime Minister of the country. 


“I want to ask Bajwa, if I was dangerous, then who are these people who are sitting at the helm of Pakistan and brought down the country on its knees,” Khan said in his speech. 


As per a PTI report, the broadcast media in Pakistan blacked out the coverage of the event under the 'pressure' of the PML-N-led government backed by the powerful military establishment. 


Facing threats to his life, Imran Khan addressed the rally from bullet-proof glass. A large number of peple including women had gathered at the historic park. 


Slamming the PML-N-led government and its handlers (a reference to the country’s military establishment) for arresting and torturing over 2,000 of his party workers ahead of this rally, Imran Khan said, “one thing is clear, whoever is in power, they will get a message today that people's passion cannot be curbed via hurdles and containers.”  


As per PTI, he said, "The way the powerful circles are behaving in Pakistan today it seems that Imran Khan is the only problem of the country." 


‘Surgery Required To Put Pak In Order’ 


Presenting a roadmap for the economic prosperity of Pakistan, Imran Khan said the country needs difficult decisions to improve its tax collections and exports. He added, as quoted by PTI, “A major surgery is needed to put our house in order. Overseas Pakistanis will bring their dollars to the country provided they are given incentives.” 


He claimed that only 2.5 million Pakistanis out of 220 million pay taxes and advised that there was a need to increase the tax base to achieve progress. 


Khan On Cases Against Him 


Speaking on the cases registered against him, Imran Khan said, “I have completed a century of cases. I may cross 150. Poor spend their entire life-fighting false cases in this country. Pakistan has no future if there is no rule of law.” 


He added that ‘real freedom’ will only come if the rule of law prevails in the country. The 70-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman bashed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for ‘begging around the world’.  


Taking a jibe at prime minister Shehbaz, Khan said: “Former army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa said he used to scold Shehbaz for 40 minutes and he would not react and listen patiently. This happens when you (Shehbaz) come to power through the backdoor”, reported PTI. 


He asked, “Police attacked my house as they wanted to arrest me in false cases. The people supported me during the clash with the police as they knew I was right. They have booked me in 40 terrorism cases...will the nation accept that Imran Khan is a terrorist?” 


Khan said in the address that despite the Supreme Court's orders, the Election Commission of Pakistan delayed the April 30 elections of the Punjab Assembly for October 8 citing security and financial constraints. 


“How will guarantee that the elections will be held even in October? The government and its handlers have only one-point agenda – how to stop me from returning to power,” Khan said, adding that all eyes are on the Supreme Court to establish rule of law by holding elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 90 days. 


Notably, earlier on Saturday, the Lahore ATC, in a relief, granted Khan interim bail till April 4 in three cases filed at the Lahore Race Course police station. 


Recently, a massive drama took place on Khan’s arrest in the Toshakhana case for buying gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch, which he had received as the premier at a discounted price from the state depository called Toshakhana, and selling them for profit. 


He became the first Pakistani prime minister to be voted out by the National Assembly after he was ousted from power in April last year post losing a no-confidence vote.