Khattak labels Imran as dictator, calls 'Naya Pakistan' slogan gimmick

PTI chairman Imran Khan (right) and PTI-P chief Pervez Khattak. — AFP/NNI/File

Pervez Khattak, a former close confidant of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief, has said that Imran Khan’s slogan of “Naya Pakistan” was a political gimmick to deceive voters and labelled him as a “dictator”.

In July this year, Khattak formed a breakaway faction of the PTI — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTI-P) — following May 9 violent protests broke out following the arrest of Khan in a corruption case.

“Imran Khan’s slogan of Naya [new] Pakistan was nothing but a topi drama [gimmick]. I supported Imran Khan to change the country’s system but all his slogans were proven false,” the PTI-P chief said while addressing a party event in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Malakand district.

Khattak further said that Imran hates all his political opponents and rival parties. “The PTI chairman is a dictator [and] he wants to introduce a presidential system in the country,” he remarked.

In the same address, he also criticised Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman saying his political agitation was only aimed at coming to power.

He said the country’s political leadership treats the nation like "an enemy" and added that no political party implemented its election manifesto.

Khattak said his newly-formed party is seeking to provide justice to the masses “at their doorstep”.

PTI-P Chairman Khattak on Friday said he had established the new party to expose the dual faces of political leaders.

Last month, speaking at a public rally, Khattak said that the political leaders had been making us a fool for the last 75 years in the name of “roti, kapra aur makan and Naya Pakistan”.

He said that the rhetoric of these leaders always deceived simple people. The masses should ask the leaders of all political parties to name those who pushed the country to the current situation.

“They should be asked as to who was responsible for joblessness, lawlessness and the bad economic situation in Pakistan,” he had said.

Political parties have now upped their blame games as the date (February 8, 20240 for general elections has been announced.