Imran accuses Pak govt of using terror wave for political mileage

LAHORE: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday accused the coalition government of the country of using the recent wave of terrorism to gain "political mileage" for its own benefit, local media reported.

In a televised address, the PTI Chairman claimed that terrorism was at its lowest-ever point during his government but resurfaced with a vengeance during the "current regime", Dawn reported.

"Look at the graph of terrorism and how it came down during the PTI rule," he said, adding, "Why wasn't there any terrorism when PTI was in the federal government?"

Khan pinned the responsibility of rising terrorism on incumbent Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as he recalled the sacrifices made by the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) during the war on terror, Dawn reported.

"This is why they (KP public) came out yesterday and thronged the streets in fear that there might be another operation," he said, adding that countless innocent lives are lost during anti-terror operations.

The PTI chief added that "lies" were spewed by PM Shehbaz in the cabinet meeting over the weekend regarding KP not utilising the terrorism funding properly, Dawn reported.

"KP spent Rs 600 billion in nine years. We made four police training schools, an elite training school in Nowshera, a special combat force to fight terrorism," Khan said, adding, "This is why terrorism subsided. A DNA lab was also made in 2017 at Khyber Medical College."

Khan also announced a "Jail Bharo Tehreek" as the next step to be taken by the PTI in light of the prevailing political situation that has seen several of its top leaders and allies spend time behind bars.

Elaborating on the movement, the PTI chief said "instead of thronging the streets, getting violent and ransacking places, we will now fill the jails of the country".

This way, he said, the federal government's "new hobby" of putting every senior PTI leader in jail will also be fulfilled, Dawn reported.

"Entire party and the people should prepare for the Jail Bharo Tehreek," Khan said.