LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has announced that the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies will be dissolved on December 23.
Addressing his workers at the Liberty Chowk via video link from his residence in Lahore on Saturday, the PTI chairman demanded free and fair elections and warned that the country otherwise might sink. Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mehmood Khan were along with him.
Imran Khan said, “Once we dissolve both assemblies, we will hold elections in the provinces. Also, our 123-125 Members of the National Assembly, whose resignations have not been accepted, will ask the speaker in the assembly to accept their resignations. Then over 66pc of Pakistan would move towards elections and in line with the law, polls should take place within 90 days of the assemblies’ dissolution.”
Imran blamed former Army Chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa for his involvement in a “conspiracy” hatched against his party. “Gen Bajwa was the only person responsible for bringing down the PTI government,” he alleged. The PTI chief maintained that he wanted to inform the people about the reasons that forced him to decide on the dissolution of assemblies in both the provinces where his party ruled. He claimed that he had provided all details to courts about his assets, just like the common man in Pakistan, unlike those who stole money of the masses and siphoned it abroad.
About the PDM leaders, Imran said: “All their money, business and children are abroad. They are living a life of luxury in Pakistan after stealing money from the nation.” He added that he had never thought of ever living anywhere else except Pakistan.
The former prime minister said that for the first time in his life, he had feared that the corrupt gang imposed on the country was taking the nation towards destruction. “Ask any industrialist, worker and farmer, they cannot run their affairs in the ongoing economic situation,” he said.
Talking about the record-high inflation, which was clocked at 23.8% in November, he said Pakistan had suffered the worst inflation in 50 years after the incumbent government came to power. “They washed away all our hard work. The economy including industries, taxes, exports and agriculture witnessed a boost during our government,” he said.
“This government has not been able to make progress even in one sector. Given the situation in the country, 750,000 people have gone abroad. Hundreds of thousands of people who have left Pakistan were skilled workers and their absence will hurt the country in the long run. My government had worked hard to revive the economy that was on the brink of default when the Pakistan Muslim League left the government in 2018,” he claimed.
“We even revived the economy that was devastated by Covid, which had wreaked havoc across the country. We had introduced incentives for all sectors to ensure that they do not suffer. The growth witnessed during my party’s tenure was last seen during the governments of General Ayub Khan, General Zia-ul-Haq, and General Pervez Musharraf. All growth targets were achieved because we were hand-in-hand with America on several fronts. So, who was behind this regime change operation? Why were these corrupt elements brought to power?” he asked.
Imran Khan said Pakistan’s foreign direct investment, remittances, taxes and exports had decreased after his ouster. “Foreign investors do not trust the coalition government. We do not have dollars to repay energy and foreign debt. The coalition government does not even have a plan except seeking loans from China. Loans are not enough. It is tantamount to treating cancer with Disprin. The only solution to it is through wealth creation. If you create wealth, you can ensure that you don’t have to beg for loans the next time,” he observed.
Imran Khan blamed the government for mishandling the country’s economy. “Had they managed the economy well, we would have been fine with them completing the term, but the country is going down. Everything is going down in the country. I’m afraid Pakistan is moving towards default,” he said and questioned about the government’s roadmap, fearing it would not hold elections even in October 2023. He also accused the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of conniving with the government. “A dishonest man is involved with them, who will tell them about ways to delay the elections,” he alleged.
The PTI chief added that even after the Supreme Court of Pakistan had agreed for elections to be held, it was the ECP that refused to hold polls for seven months. “The Constitution of Pakistan says the ECP should always be ready to conduct elections in 90 days. I know it will try its best to delay them,” he said.
During his address, the PTI chief said his wife Bushra Bibi told him not to be disappointed by the situation. He said during the long march, while realising that there was a grave threat to his life, she also told him to go ahead as this is Jehad and not taking part would be a violation of Quranic canons.
Referring to corruption, Imran quoted former COAS Gen (retd) Bajwa as telling him that the agencies have files and compromising videos. “I asked him is this why the nation spends so much money on intelligence agencies to record compromising videos? Is this the only work intelligence outfits are left to do rather than defending the country’s security which is their primary job?”
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi, former federal minister Moonis Elahi and MNA Hussain Elahi met with Imran Khan at his Zaman Park residence, in which matters related to the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly were discussed. Pervaiz Elahi, Moonis Elahi and Hussain Elahi said they would support every decision of Imran Khan. Pervaiz Elahi claimed that Imran Khan had destroyed the political future of his opponents, adding that those spreading rumours would fail again.
Moonis Elahi said that their alliance with the PTI was even more stronger and they would welcome every call of Imran Khan. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Shah Mehmmod Qureshi, Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry, Pervez Khattak, Shibli Faraz, Ali Amin Gandapur and other leaders were also present.
On the other hand, Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Saturday said that work on seat adjustment in the Punjab with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had just started.
Talking to journalists outside the former premier’s residence in Lahore’s Zaman Park, Elahi asserted that he was satisfied with former prime minister Imran Khan’s decision to dissolve the assemblies, local media reported.
“I was satisfied with Imran Khan’s decision from the beginning,” he maintained.
Elahi reiterated his support to PTI chairman, saying that he owed the Punjab government to Imran.
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