Imran Khan vows to address pressing issues facing Pakistan in I-Day message

Pakistan's Prime Minister-in-Waiting Imran Khan today said he was greatly optimistic about the country's future despite the "grave economic crisis" and issues like corruption, as he vowed to realise the vision of the nation's founding fathers.

In his message on the occasion of Pakistan's Independence Day, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief tweeted, "14 Aug 2018: On this Independence Day I am filled with the greatest optimism.

"Despite our grave economic crises, due to corruption and cronyism, I know if we are united in our resolve, we will rise to the challenge and Pakistan will become the great nation envisaged by our Quaid and Iqbal," he said, referring to the vision of Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the founding fathers of Pakistan.

Khan is set to be sworn-in as Pakistan's Prime Minister on Saturday. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf with 158 seats has emerged as the largest party in the National Assembly.

In another tweet, Khan posted a picture of his ancestors with Jinnah and Iqbal at the Round Table Conference in London in 1932.

"In this historic picture of Quaid-i-Azam and Iqbal, at the Round Table Conference in London 1932, my khalu (husband of his mother's sister) Dr Jehangir Khan and my mother's chacha (uncle) Zaman Khan (Zaman Park named after him) were also present," Imran said.

Pakistan celebrated its 71st Independence Day today.

Khan's first and foremost challenge is the tottering economy. The fiscal deficit between imports and exports has reached a historic high, around USD 35 billion that speaks a lot about Pakistan's trade policies, stagnant export base and the liberal imports policies, the Express Tribune reported.

In his tweet, Khan also mentioned the issue of corruption and cronyism, apparently referring to the jailing of former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif and members of his family in a corruption case.