PTI chief hails LHC decision on Punjab polls

Elahi says no delay in elections acceptable after court’s ruling

LAHORE:

PTI Chairman and former premier Imran Khan has welcomed the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) order to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to announce a date for polls in Punjab without delay.

In a tweet on Saturday, the PTI chief observed that there could be no democracy without the rule of law.

He said a strong, independent and credible judicial system ensured the rule of law and safeguarded the Constitution.

“The nation appreciates the LHC decision on elections and stands behind the judiciary for upholding the Constitution and restoring hope in the judicial system,” he added.

Meanwhile, a delegation of lawyers from Gujranwala led by District Bar Association President Chaudhry Parvez Abid Haral called on the former premier and announced joining the PTI.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s focal person for legal affairs Barrister Hasan Khan Niazi, Ali Ijaz Butar, Asif Mughal, Afrasiab Mughal, Rana Zohaib Khan, Hafiz Arsalan Seth, Mian Arsalan, Intakhib Virk, Hafiz Waqar and Sardar Majid were in attendance.

Separately, PML-Q leader and former Punjab chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi maintained that the victory of PTI chief in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa polls was “writing on the wall”.

In a statement, Elahi urged the nation to prepare for elections, saying people would decide against the “incompetent gang of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)” with the power of vote.

He said the PTI and PML-Q candidates should formally take charge of the election campaign.

On the LHC order to the ECP, Elahi said the judgment had given a message of ensuring supremacy of the Constitution, and stressed that there should be no delay in the electoral process after the verdict.

“Revenge will be taken from [PM] Shehbaz Sharif who has ruined the country economically, through the power of vote,” he said.

“PML-N-League has not learnt any lesson from the past. Victimisation cannot reduce the popularity of Imran Khan.”

The PML-Q leader claimed that the PTI chief was the most popular leader in the country, adding that Imran had the “capability to deliver and bring political and economic stability”.

He said the current rulers were only worried about relief in their cases and that the “vengeful activities” against the political opponents could not save the PDM leadership.

Elahi said election activities in Punjab and K-P will commence from next week.