Pakistan's Imran Khan dispels PTI's internal strife rumours

Islamabad [Pakistan], July 3 : Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday dispelled the impression of any forward bloc in the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and asserted that a decision regarding the PTI deserters was yet to be taken, Pakistan-based daily The Dawn reported.
Khan said there were "no major differences" among the party leaders after the trial proceeding in a 190 million Euro corruption reference in which the court granted post-arrest bail to his wife, Bushra Bibi. But he admitted a division among some party leaders and said he would talk to them during their routine visit to Adiala jail on July 4.
Referring to the US Congress resolution on the Pakistani election, he said national and international media had raised questions on the transparency of the February 8 elections, Dawn reported.
He criticised the government for rebutting the resolution and said it was high time for introspection. He said the resolution could not be termed US "interference" as it questioned election transparency, unlike the cypher that "threatened" the elected regime. He added that he still stood by his words about Donald Lu's interference in Pakistan's domestic affairs, Dawn reported.
He also criticised the government for burdening people with taxes and price hikes, instead of cutting its expenses in the financial budget. He warned that the budget would boost inflation. This was the time to bring the country out of the crises, he said, suggesting a fair and transparent fresh election as the only solution.
On June 30, Imran Khan took cognizance of reports about the 'forward bloc' and internal strife within the party and demanded names of the members causing the rifts. The speculations of the bloc were formed when almost two dozen lawmakers hinted at forming a forward bloc due to the leadership's failure to secure Imran Khan's release from jail.