Only polls can avert ‘Sri Lanka-like crisis’

Says dissolution of Punjab Assembly was a ‘masterstroke’ against the PDM

LAHORE:

As Pakistan faces myriad challenges like skyrocketing inflation, unemployment, depleting foreign exchange reserves and shortage of essential commodities, PTI Chairman and former premier Imran Khan on Thursday warned that the country could slide into Sri Lanka-like situation if “free and fair” elections were not held by the incumbent regime.

Addressing senior journalists in Lahore, the PTI chief noted that the country was passing through a critical juncture.

“Pakistan is not in a position to bear any delay in elections. Any compromise on the transparency of elections or political engineering will be tantamount to enmity with the nation,” he said.

“Only elections can prevent Pakistan’s slide into Sri Lanka-like situation,” he added.

Imran held incumbent Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for the continuing economic meltdown and observed that “voices of split could be heard with the (ruling) PML-N”.

The PTI chief observed that the PDM-led coalition government had failed on all the fronts, alleging that it was using the people’s resources for its personal gain.

“Only the PTI government can save the country from crises,” he said.

Imran clarified that the PTI was not mulling over any option to lodge protests on streets if the date for the general elections was not announced.

Last year, Sri Lanka’s economy had collapsed, schools were shut down indefinitely and critical shortage of essential items was witnessed as the country had failed to repay its debts.

Deliberating on other issues, the PTI chief noted that Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman had “violated” the Constitution by not mentioning the date of elections on the summary sent to him after the dissolution of the provincial assembly.

He said they would challenge the Punjab governor’s move in the court.

He said the dissolution of Punjab Assembly was a “masterstroke” against the PDM which would be “remembered for decades”.

The PTI chief recalled that Chaudhry Nisar was the first person who had raised his voice against the “dynastic politics” of the PML-N.

He asserted that only political solution was the answer to the issues confronted by Balochistan.

He maintained that the vote bank of PTI would not be affected even if he was disqualified.

Imran is facing a slew of cases in the courts, including the Toshakhana reference in which he is accused of unlawfully selling gifts received from the foreign dignitaries and heads of state for personal gain during his premiership from 2018 to 2022.

Another petition seeks the disqualification of the former premier as a lawmaker for “concealing” his alleged daughter in nomination papers.

Separately, the former premier chaired a PTI parliamentary committee meeting.

Regarding the caretaker Punjab chief minister, Imran underlined that only a person of “high integrity and clean reputation” was eligible for the interim government responsibility.

He said the PTI would send two names for the post after deliberation with the party members.

The constitutional responsibility of setting up the interim government should be completed and the public must be given the right of vote without any delay, Imran demanded.

The parliamentary committee mulled over the names of Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera, Naveed Cheema and Naseer Khan.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader in Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh called on the PTI chairman here at his Zaman Park residence and briefed him about political situation in the province.

Sheikh said that rigging had taken place during the second phase of Sindh local government elections.

He alleged that the police, commissioner and the PPP “jayalas” stamped ballot papers, noting that the role of ECP was “very disappointing”.

Highhandedness of the provincial government was on the rise against the PTI leaders and workers, he said.

After meeting Imran, Sheikh told the media that all PTI lawmakers of the Sindh Assembly had handed over their resignations to the party chief.

Whenever the party chairman thinks appropriate these resignations will be sent to the Sindh Assembly speaker, he said.

Rejecting results of the LG elections, he said fresh local bodies polls will be held across the country when the PTI chairman returns to the National Assembly with two-third majority.