Announcement to dissolve assemblies Imran’s admission of his failure: PMLN

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) leaders said on Saturday that PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s announcement about the dissolution of assemblies was, in fact, a confession of his failure, as his long march had proved to be a failed show.

Giving their reaction over Imran Khan’s speech, different PMLN leaders said the Rawalpindi rally was just an act of face-saving, and Imran Khan, who had earlier announced taking over Islamabad, ended up announcing resignations from all assemblies. They said the speech of Imran Khan was the speech of a loser.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said PTI Chairman Imran Khan “cannot dissolve both [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab] assemblies”. 

He told Geo News programme Naya Pakistan: “Khan will not be able to decide about dissolving the assemblies.” He said the PTI could not do so if no-confidence motion was moved in these assemblies. “Not possible! A vote of no confidence can be brought in the provincial assemblies any time without wasting time. The opposition clearly has the numbers to form a government in Punjab province,” he claimed.

“Do they think the opposition will sit and watch,” the interior minister questioned, adding that elections should be held on time and assemblies should remain intact.

Sanaullah said Khan’s decision to dissolve the assemblies was his “announcement of defeat”. He said Khan decided against marching towards Islamabad as people did not arrive at the jalsa, adding that he announced quitting the assemblies only to avoid embarrassment.

Rana Sanaullah said the politics of pressure groups died today. Speaking in Geo News programme Jirga, he said: “Now, the politics of blackmailing and pressurising has ended. PTI Chairman Imran Khan first did an aerial observation of the jalsa from a helicopter. When he saw that people did not show up, he announced dissolving assemblies as a punishment to both the chief ministers.”

PMLN Central Vice President Maryam Nawaz tweeted: “The most unsuccessful long march, one drama and lie after another, but the truth is that Imran’s 9-year plan, to end the government through conspiracy, the plan to bring his favourite army chief, the plan to interfere in the appointment of the new army chief and the plan to make the new chief controversial, all the plans failed miserably. This is the end of conspiracies!”

Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said Imran Niazi used to announce resignations from assemblies, but he did not do so. He said the PTI chief had played his last card, which would hurt his own politics.

“Imran repeatedly urged the judiciary, NAB, FIA and other national institutions to play unconstitutional, illegal and undemocratic roles in the past and he did not stop till today,” he said adding Imran misguided the IMF to make Pakistan fail.

Federal Minister Khurram Dastgir said: “Failed fascist. Sitting on government’s chair of Potohar Town’s local government, using government resources of four provincial governments and terming others thieves.” “Coming out of assemblies means nothing. Never, ever will the fascists dissolve provincial governments,” he claimed.

Federal Minister Mian Javed Latif said to get out of the deadlock of his failed march, Imran Khan wanted a face-saving, which could not be found, so he had to talk about resigning from the assemblies. “They will never make the mistake of leaving the assemblies and if they resign from the assemblies, we will use our constitutional options,” he concluded.