LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has said that only the judiciary could ensure the supremacy of the Constitution and thus pinned his hope on the superior courts for early elections.
While talking to the journalists here on Thursday, the former PM believed that the coalition government was reluctant to hold elections. He further said that in the upcoming general elections, party tickets would only be given to loyal and sincere people.
Speaking about the International Monetary Fund (IMF), he said that the agreement with the IMF would invite a new wave of inflation in the country, adding that only investments from overseas Pakistanis could save the Pakistani economy. He also accused the incumbent rulers of moving their dollars abroad.
Talking about his party’s participation in the All Parties Conference (APC), Khan said he would first wait on the government’s call on holding the APC on the matter of terrorism then he would decide whether to attend the meeting or not.
He averred that an attempt was made to launch PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz in Pakistan as Mrs Mandela, which has miserably failed; adding that only after returning to the country, PMNL-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif would realise how popular he was among the people.
He admitted that he held a meeting with former army chief General (R) Qamar Javed Bajwa after the removal of his government. When he was asked if he met the new army chief, Khan said it takes two to tango.
Imran optimistic about prospects of ‘jail bharo’ protest
Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi held a meeting with the PTI Chairman at Zaman Park residence and discussed elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and the overall political situation in the country. Both the leaders also expressed reservations over the Election Commission of Pakistan not announcing dates for elections in Punjab and KP.
On this occasion, the former Prime Minister said that the Election Commission of Pakistan failed to fulfil its fundamental duty.
Moreover, while talking to the media outside Khan’s residence, PTI leader Farrukh Habib said that it was a routine meeting between the President and the PTI chief and only focused on the elections.
He also claimed that ‘some unknown forces’ were trying to prevent elections in the country; “the recent communications of the federal finance ministry and the federal interior ministry Rana Sanaullah in which they showed reluctance to provide funds and security for the elections indicates involvement of unknown forces”.
While holding a letter written by the Federal Finance Ministry, he also claimed that the finance ministry in this letter said that it does not have the funds to hold elections; “the coalition government has money for foreign visits and government’s publicity, but it spare fund for the elections, which would decide the future of this country”.
He continued that Federal Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah’s ministry also wrote a letter saying that it cannot provide security for the elections, adding that the government managed to provide security to the Prime Minister and his 85 ministers, but it finds it difficult to provide security on the elections day.
“After these letters, our fear that some forces wanted to prevent the elections turned out to be true and thus ‘someone’ has stopped the Election Commission of Pakistan from giving a date for the elections. It was clearly written in the Constitution that all institutions of the country have to support the Election Commission,” he added.
Habib said that 10 months ago through a conspiracy, their government was removed and accused General (R) Qamar Javed Bajwa of imposing a group of thieves on the nation, adding that this group was engaged in human rights violations and flouting the Constitution.
He also said that if the assemblies were dissolved before the term, elections were to be held within 90 days and thus there was no provision in the Constitution for delaying the elections.
“Talking a constitutional path, Khan dissolved the provincial assemblies, but still this government was adamant not to hold elections,” he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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