Khan tells Pakistani Scots: I shall root out corruption
Ex-cricketer makes his pitch for votes amongasians in Glasgow Call for turbines deals to help local people
SCOTLAND’S Pakistani community turned out in force to listen to presidential hopeful Imran Khan promise change and an end to corruption in Pakistan.
More than 1500 people packed into the Clyde Suite at the Marriot Hotel in Glasgow to welcome the former cricketer turned politician.
The leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI) party addressed the crowd in his native language, promising that, if elected next year, he will introduce fundamental reforms to improve the country.
He promised to stamp out corruption by forcing politicians to declare their assets, eliminating conflict of interest by stopping politicians from owning businesses and bringing forth tax reform.
For the first time, Pakistanis living overseas will be able to vote in the country’s elections – and many of those in yesterday’s audience were dressed in PTI hats, T-shirts and merchandise.
Glasgow SNP MSP Humza Yousaf and Glasgow Central MP Anas Sarwar, for Labour, both gave speeches before Mr Khan stood to speak.
Mr Khan, whose slogan read “PTI will change Pakistan, together we can”, said the longawaited change needed in Pakistan had come.
He announced policy changes that would be implemented instantly to bring about good governance, eradicate corruption, reform education and revitalise young people.
Other points included medium and long-term policy changes to tackle energy deficiency and optimise natural resources.
Mr Yousaf said: “The Pakistani community here in Scotland has contributed so much. We contribute through the economy, our culture and even through our cuisine.
“As proud as we are of being Scottish, we have never forgotten our roots, never forgotten our heritage and we have never forgotten our history, our home is Pakistan. This great nation is possibly going through what is its darkest hour.”
He cited the problems the country has endured as a result of the war on terror, as well as problems of infrastructure and the corruption of its officials.
He said: “There exists a ray of hope hidden amongst the darkness, and that ray of hope is Pakistan led by Imran Khan.
“I believe Pakistan is on the verge of something momentous, it is on the cusp of something quite historic. There is a wave of change that carries the hopes and dreams of o r di nar y Pakistanis.”
Mr Sarwar added: “What unites every single person in this room is our love for the great country of Pakistan.”
Imran Adrees, PTI’S Scotland president, said it was important for Mr Khan to speak in Scotland. He added: “We want him to give the message here – he is not just popular in our community, he is popular with Scottish people as well.
“Scottish people know he is an honest person and he can make a change so I want him to come and tell the community he will make change in Pakistan, he will finish the corruption in Pakistan, he will finish terrorism in Pakistan.
“We want to live the same way that we are living in this country, peacefully. We want Pakistan to become more like Scotland. The reaction here is excellent.
“S o many people are disappointed because they wanted to come but we just don’t have capacity. It is an excellent welcome for Imran Khan.”
Aci Faraz Qureshi, 29, from Newlands in Glasgow, who was in the audience, said: “Imran Khan is saying Pakistan needs change and we need change as well in our politicians, that is why we are here to support him. It is important that he has come to Scotland because lots of our community is here as well and they have come here to support him.”
Arif Mehmood, 27, from Bridgeton in Glasgow, a student at the University of the West of Scotland, was also at the rally.
He said: “People say some bad things about Pakistan nowadays, regarding terrorism and bomb attacks, but that is just because of the corrupt politicians.
“Once they are eradicated from the country then we will come to know what Pakistan has and what is the potential of the Pakistani people.
“It is tremendous that Imran Khan is in Scotland. I am in shock. I can’t believe I have seen him.”
Gl a s g o w b u s i n e s s men Mohammed Ranzan and Shoket Mobarik invited Mr Khan to Glasgow and were instrumental in organising the conference. URGENT action must be taken to ensure communities affected by large windfarm developments can reap long-term benefits.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation said in a new report that more must be done to ensure growing wind-farm expansion is matched by help for neighbouring communities.
Its research looked into the impact on the environment, the unequal distribution of economic impact and the concentration of developments in disadvantaged communities.
It concluded that a mechanism for deals between developers and local people must be put in place now – before the next wave of investment takes place.
The provision and expansion of community benefit funds – in both size and geographic scope – are necessary to improve the economic, social and environmental prospects of affected areas, it is claimed.
The report, Wind Energy and Justice for Disadvantaged C o mmunit i e s, acknowledges there is scope to learn from good practice across the UK, where organisations have managed to increase the level of community benefits that developers provide.
The Stirlingshire village of Fintry was cited as an example. Community benefits took the form of ownership of a 2.5MW turbine, within a wider farm, which will eventually generate an annual income of £400,000.
Report author Dr Richard Cowell said: “We are seeing the size of community benefit funds increase in line with the growing scale of wind farm developments.
“That presents a huge opportunity to address the disadvantages faced by those living alongside wind farms.”
The report comes in the wake of a row over windfarm community benefit funds. Earlier this month, renewable energy developer Infinergy said Scotland’s councils were increasingly pocketing the cash against residents’ wishes and using it across the whole local authority area.