Imran announces countrywide protests against Mohsin Naqvi’s appointment

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Monday that his party would start countrywide protests against the appointment of Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi as caretaker chief minister for Punjab, Aaj News reported.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) appointed Mohsin Naqvi – a renowned media personality – to the position on Sunday.

The matter was sent to the electoral body under Clause 3 of Article 224-A of the Constitution as the parliamentary committee comprising three members each from both the PTI-PML-Q and the opposition failed to reach a consensus on the name of the interim CM.

Soon after the announcement, former CM Punjab Parvez Elahi rejected the appointment of Mohsin Naqvi, saying it was a “partial and biased decision.”

“How can justice be expected from the person who made a plea bargain of Rs3.5 million in the Haris Steel case,” Elahi said and announced to challenge the decision in the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, PTI Senior Vice-President Fawad Chaudhry said his party rejected the appointment of Naqvi as caretaker Punjab chief executive and vowed to launch a massive campaign against “this system”.

“No other options left but taking to the streets against this system,” he said.

Addressing a press conference today, Imran said Mohsin Naqvi was a controversial and biased personality, and therefore, wasn’t acceptable to his party.

Imran said the ECP had appointed the media mogul as caretaker chief executive of the province to ‘rig’ the upcoming elections in Punjab.

“We would not only protest against the ECP’s decision throughout the country but also challenge the appointment in the Supreme Court,” he said.

Imran said the ruling coalition had plans of postponing elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and vowed to use all possible ways to disrupt their plans.

The PTI chief asked his supporters and party workers to stage protests outside ECP offices against Naqvi’s appointment.

“I am inviting all of you to take to the streets from tomorrow for your future. If we accept his appointment then there would be no difference between us and sheep,” he remarked.

He accused the ECP of causing irreparable damage to the country, saying that he is going to challenge the appointment of the caretaker CM in court.

“I have never seen such a dishonest election commission. They always give verdicts against us. The names that we gave for caretaker chief minister were honest people.”