Imran Khan calls for early elections

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday called for holding early elections, saying that taking a fresh mandate is necessary to strengthen democracy, as Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is a weak premier, trying to cover up Nawaz family’s corruption. All the big political parties, however, opposed the PTI chief’s call.

Imran told a media conference here that Prime Minister Abbasi has also been alleged to be involved in corruption in the LNG contract. He wondered why the prime minister never spoke on this matter.

The PTI chief said Prime Minister Abbasi would say Nawaz Sharif was his prime minister, who was disqualified by five SC judges unanimously for corruption, perjury, money laundering and presenting fake documents.

“Pakistan is moving towards democracy. For strengthening democracy, it is imperative to hold free and transparent elections,” he emphasised and cautioned that if a disqualified person would take over, then democracy would be derailed. He continued no one in the world could even think about making a disqualified person the head of any political party.

Imran lamented that what the US and the world were saying about Pakistan, it was the narrative of the government. He asked why they i.e. the prime minister, foreign minister and interior minister did not think of putting the own house in order before. “They are putting Pakistan at risk,” he said.

He alleged that when the US was making its policy towards Afghanistan, the prime minister in Pakistan was trying to wriggle out of the Panama case. The PTI chairman alleged that the disastrous economic policies had played a havoc with industry, agriculture while unprecedented number of loans were obtained by the present government and wondered how would these be paid back.

The gap between the poor and the rich, he noted, was increasing constantly and the electricity and gas tariffs were the highest in the region. Imran called for putting the names of Nawaz and Ishaq Dar on the exit control list for corruption. He emphasised the prime minister should present himself for accountability. He again called Dar the hitman of Pakistan’s economy.

The PTI chairman said a campaign was launched to malign the Army through DawnLeaks and even after the Supreme Court judgement, the military was being defamed. He noted that there were reports that Daesh flags had been hoisted in Islamabad and asked who was responsible for these.

Imran said he had no faith in the Election Commission of Pakistan and contended that the Supreme Court should appoint the chief election commissioner.

Replying to questions, he asserted that the Election Commission was an administrative body, having no contempt of court powers. Therefore, they had gone to Islamabad High Court. When asked would he present himself before the commission, if the court decided, he replied in affirmative. He called for appointment of a neutral chairman of NAB and alleged the present chairman was appointed by Prime Minister Nawaz and Opposition Leader Khursheed Shah. Contrary to his job, Imran alleged that he was protecting the Sharifs.

Imran said their stance was that Fata should be merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He added that they were trying to remove Khursheed Shah as opposition leader in the National Assembly. He that charged economic prosperity was confined to advertisements. Regarding the recent adoption of the Elections Bill, he said the bill sought to ridicule democracy.

  Agencies add: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and rejected Imran Khan's demand of snap elections in the country. "Election in the country will take place at their due time," State Minister Talal Chaudhry said, adding the PTI chief has repeatedly been disqualified by "people's court."

The PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira said his party was not in favour of early elections and maintained that assemblies should complete their term. The Awami National Party (ANP) also rejected Imran Khan’s suggestion. The ANP leader Mian Iftikhar said every government should complete its tenure.