August 22 rally was postponed at establishment's resquest, claims Imran Khan

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan has claimed that the August 22 public rally was postponed ‘at the request of the establishment’

“Azam Swati came to me at 7 am and said that the establishment sent its request to postpone the meeting for the sake of the country,” the ex-PM told the media at Adiala Jail on Monday.

He added: “The establishment guaranteed that they would provide full facilities in the 8 September rally. Thus the meeting of August 22 was postponed for the sake of Pakistan.

He continued: “Swati gave me the message stating that there was a cricket match and a protest of religious parties in Islamabad on the same time and chaos might spread across the country.

“It was guaranteed that NOC would be issued for the meeting and facilities would be provided.”

However, the PTI founder claimed that containers were placed and barricades were erected to stop the rally and then they were told to end the rally at seven o'clock.

Taking a swipe at the ruling coalition, he harped on the political persecution mantra and claimed that the plots had been concocted to plague the judiciary.

He said they ( the coalition government) want to save the ‘fraud’ election as they are afraid of the revelation of his party's popularity.

He added: “The Commissioner of Rawalpindi had said that the Chief Election Commissioner and the Chief Justice joined their hands to manipulate the election.

“The judicial inquiry on the May 9 incidents is also not being conducted because the Qazi is siding with them.

 “If Qazi Faiz Isa is re-imposed, he will start the most powerful street movement in the country's history. Qazi Faiz Isa is one of the most partial judges in the country's history.”

He went on: “Yahya Khan ruined the country and killed thousands of people to save the seat. This is not his saying. These are the findings of the Hamoodur Rehman Commission report.

“Even now the same is being done to save the seat. An operation was launched against a party which won 160 seats.

“It has never happened in the history of democracy to pass a law and give NRO. Cases worth billions of rupees have been waived by passing the law.

“Money laundering has been declared legal by issuing NRO through NAB amendments, now no one can even touch them. Loans are being sanctioned.”

The ex-PM claimed that in his term, the economy was growing and the present government ruined the economy.

He stressed that the rule of law is a must to attract investment.