Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan has asked journalists why they have been portraying former prime minister Nawaz Sharif as an innocent person.
He asked why such journalists are not thinking about the future of their children rather than trying to save a criminal.
Khan said that it took him 22 years to make the masses realise that corruption is dangerous and it had destroyed the economy of the country, leading to price hikes and manifold increase in the foreign debt.
“Foreign debt of the country was Rs6,000bn a decade ago, which is now Rs27,000bn, and the masses have to pay the price for the debt as the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) government had imposed taxes to pay the instalments of the debt,” he said while addressing a gathering at the Dhobi Ghat ground.
Khan raised questions over utilisation of the debt, asking whether any dam was built with it.
He said that the average monthly salary of a person is Rs200,000 ($1,600, £1,200) in the US and Britain, but in Pakistan, this figure is Rs15,000.
Khan said that the per-unit price of electricity was Rs2.13 a decade ago and Rs9.86 (an increase of 400%) now, while the per-unit gas price has increased from Rs150 to Rs573, which has badly affected the textile sector.
He referred to other essential commodities like flour, pulses, and milk, the prices of which have increased manifold.
Before his address, some PTI workers in front of the stage clashed. 
The reason for the fighting is unclear.
Addressing a public rally at Mai Heer Stadium at Jhang, Khan alleged that the PML-N introduced and strengthened a corrupt governing system.
He pledged that if the PTI won the July 25 election and formed government, the party would introduce a comprehensive public-friendly local government system, saying that a better local government system is the key to change the lives of people.
“The maximum resources were spent on corruption-based development projects, ignoring the needs of the people living in small cities of Punjab,” he said. “The Multan Metro Bus project is a proved example of corruption.”
Claiming that former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif made the police corrupt, Khan said that the PTI had a plan to make the police department apolitical.
He added that after coming into power, his party would introduce real democracy, empower public institutions, and involving the masses in the decision-making process for development projects.
“State resources will be distributed equally to small towns and cities,” the PTI chief said.


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