Imran Khan says Punjab, KP assemblies to dissolve on Dec 23

PTI Chairman Imran Khan Saturday announced that his governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will dissolve their assemblies on December 23 (Friday), Aaj News reported.

He made the announcement while addressing his party's workers and supporters from his residence in Lahore's Zaman Park. Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan were beside him as well for the address.

At the start of his address, Imran reiterated the call for “fresh and fair elections,” stressing that the country was drowning as skilled people and professionals were leaving Pakistan in big numbers.

The former prime minister claimed that over 750,000 Pakistani left the country during the last seven months.

Imran said unemployment and inflation were on the rise and foreign confidence was drying up. “Loans keep on increasing. There was only one way to solve this which we did: to increase the country’s wealth. They (the government) don’t have a plan.”

Talking about his government’s ouster via a no-confidence motion earlier this year, he said: “My question today is, who was responsible for this regime change?”

“Only one man is responsible: General Bajwa," he said.

"I didn’t speak out against him because he was the army chief. We want our army to be strong so we kept quiet and kept looking at how the conspiracy happened.”

He said the former army chief had “decided to remove his government," alleging that General Qamar Javed Bajwa (retired) gave "NRO 2" to the ruling coalition.

Earlier this week, Imran Khan had said that he will announce the date of dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies on December 17.

A few hours ago, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Moonis Elahi said that his party “stands firmly” with Imran Khan, adding that the former premier will “announce his decision in a few hours.”

PML-Q leader’s assurance comes amid reports that his party may not validate PTI’s decision to dissolve the Punjab assembly.

Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif slammed his opponents for “spreading anarchy”, and called for political stability in the country.

In a statement, PM said that only political stability and an economic charter could “strengthen Pakistan’s national solidarity”, Radio Pakistan reported.

He reiterated the government’s resolve to bring economic stability to Pakistan as well as save it from default.

“The people who had laid land mines in the economic foundations of the country, are out to do the same in the political foundations of the country,” APP quoted the PM as saying in a veiled reference to the PTI leadership.

Meanwhile, the PM called upon the nation to ponder why the “wrongdoing junta” suddenly swung into action whenever the country was taken on the path of economic prosperity.