Dubai: Pakistan’s next government will be formed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, its chairman Imran Khan claimed in Dubai on Wednesday.
His comments came during an investment roadshow for Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province that is ruled by a PTI-led coalition government.
Khan, a former cricket star turned politician, was responding to a question from the audience on what should investors expect if there is a change of government in KPK.
“My hunch is the government will change this year. The good news is, it’s going to be PTI [that will come in power],” Khan replied.
Khan said he did expect a change in government — but he was referring to the federal Pakistan government seated in the capital Islamabad.
He has been calling for early elections and appears confident the government will have to give in to the demand.
PTI lost the 2013 general elections to rival Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), headed by the Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Khan, 62, has alleged there were irregularities in the elections and led massive sit-ins against the PML-N government in power.
He is regarded by supporters as a serious contender to the top post. PTI has emerged as Pakistan’s second largest national party in a relatively short time.
“In my political experiences of the last 18 years, this is the only time a party has broken the two-party system [in Pakistan]. It [PTI] is the biggest in all four provinces.”
Khan was referring to PML-N and Pakistan Peoples Party — the only parties to have won general elections in Pakistan.
At the event, held at Armani Hotel, Khan said KPK, which has had its share of violence, is shedding its restive image.
Anti-US militants have been active in the area and there have been several deadly attacks on state and public targets in Pakistan.
Khan is a vocal campaigner against militant violence and has also campaigned against US drone attacks in Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan, pointing to civilian deaths.
“The Americans are leaving [bordering Afghanistan], and with them leaving Afghanistan, the violence is already coming down. In the last year, we had the least amount to violence compared to the past five years,” he added.
“Looking ahead, in the Afghanistan situation I have hopes for the [President Ashraf] Gani government [in Afghanistan]. Gani is a man of integrity.
“[In Pakistan] there are talks with the Taliban. The security forces have decided to take action. The KPK police is now an example for the rest of Pakistan, it has been totally depoliticised.
“With Karachi, that’s why the security is so poor there; because the police is politicised there.”
Khan also said PTI is rooting out corruption and red tape in the province.
“The biggest corruption happens when people are in power. In KPK, we have a totally independent accountability board that serves as a check and balance on the government,” he said.
Khan’s comment came against the backdrop of business opportunities in KPK, which is now ripe for investment, according to various research cited at the roadshow by investors and state officials.
