-Imran Khan warns everything will get out of hand if early elections not held
-Urges Judiciary, Establishment to expedite elections
-Blames ‘one man’ for toppling PTI govt
-Political crisis persists in Punjab
-PA Speaker writes to President for de-seating Punjab Governor
-Says Punjab Assembly cannot be dissolved today, may be next month
By Anzal Amin
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday reiterated his call for holding early elections, urging the “establishment” and “judiciary” to play their role to avoid further economic destruction and political instability in the country.
“We are afraid that everything will get out of hand if [general] elections are not held soon,” he said while addressing his workers and supporters via video link from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore.
Imran Khan, who was removed from power through a vote of no-confidence in the National Assembly in April this year, also reminded his supporters about the PTI’s winning by-election despite alleged rigging. He added that his assassination was decided as a result of his party’s victorious stride.
The PTI chief said that even though his party has governments in two provinces and rules over 66% of the country, it has decided the dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies.
Last week, the former premier announced that the dissolution of assemblies in both provinces would be done on Friday (today).
“This is everyone’s battle, but not of those whose money is lying abroad,” Khan said, pointing at the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government in the Centre. He added that the nation rejected the “gang of thieves”. “I want to remind the nation that his toppled PTI government took the country towards economic progress,” the deposed prime minister said. He went on to say that one man’s decision toppled his government, deeming it “cruelty”.
“One man has enmity [towards PTI]. He decided to end the party. He decided to end Imran Khan,” Khan said without naming the person he was referring to.
The PTI government gave the highest growth rate in Pakistan’s history when the economy was progressing, he added. “The country’s wealth increased by 5.7% and 6% in the third and fourth year. The country had never progressed to this extent.”
Khan said that he had never seen the nation go into a dark time in his 70 years of life. “Our country is getting stuck in quicksand.”
He said that he is addressing those Pakistanis who have not laundered their money abroad rather than those who have looted the country.
Prior to Imran Khan’s address, PTI’s Focal Person for Economy Hammad Azhar took a jibe at Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah saying that while he was trying to seal the Punjab CM House, PTI supporters sealed the governor’s house and has taken the governor hostage by “staging a huge protest”.
Warning the governor to beware of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Azhar said: “The people on whose dictation you are violating the Constitution will not even release a statement in your favour when needed.”
On Wednesday, Punjab Governor Baligh-ur-Rehman declared Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan’s ruling unconstitutional and illegal. The latter had defied his directives of summoning a session on Wednesday at 4pm for a vote of confidence pertaining to Chief Minister Parvez Elahi. Sibtain Khan, instead, termed the order against the Constitution and adjourned an ongoing session till Friday.
Meanwhile, PA Speaker Sibtain has sent a letter to President Arif Alvi for removing the incumbent governor, Punjab Minister for Environment Protection and Parliamentary Affairs Muhammad Basharat Raja said.
The former law minister mentioned that under Article 101(3), the president has the authority to remove the governor. Basharat said in the letter written for the removal, the speaker has also complained about the governor’s behaviour.
“He has also pointed out the unconstitutional measures of the governor and requested the president to ensure that the governor does not take further unconstitutional steps.”
Separately, the PA Speaker said that the Punjab Assembly cannot be dissolved on Friday, suggesting it may happen in January.
Speaking to the media, Sibtain said that the Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman had asked Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi to take a vote of confidence. However, he responded by saying that a governor can only summon a session but cannot denotify a chief minister.
“According to Article 130 (7) a governor has to convene a new session and since a session is ongoing, a new session cannot be called,” he added.
Sibtain urged the governor not to issue “unconstitutional” orders as he would not allow them to be implemented. “I have all the rights under Article 209-A and 235.”
In response to a question regarding the dissolution of the assemblies, the speaker said that the no-confidence motion has just been tabled which would take time to process, therefore, the assembly cannot be dissolved on Friday. “At best, the voting process would conclude by the end of first week of January.”
