Imran urges SC to stand firm against ‘sinister’ coalition

LAHORE:

Sensing sinister motives behind the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) demand to delay elections in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and reconstitution of the Supreme Court bench, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday said their (PDM leaders) only aim was to crush his party in an effort to pave way for easy victory.

“It suits the PDM to delay the elections so that they gain time to crush the PTI,” the former prime minister said while addressing the nation through video link.

Comparing the time when a five-member bench overturned his decision of dissolving the National Assembly and calling early elections, Imran said, “We accepted the Supreme Court’s last year verdict even though it was against us and I stopped my party leaders and supports from criticising the judiciary”.

“Now, the PDM says that it will not accept the Supreme Court’s verdict if it goes against them,” the PTI chairman said citing the ruling coalition meeting in Lahore.

He said that after 90 days, the interim set-up would lose its legitimacy and went on to castigate the caretaker Punjab government for exceeding the powers that were given to them. He said that the non-representative interim government was only focused on crushing the PTI and abusing its financial powers.

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He accused the interim government in Punjab of harassing the PTI leaders and workers; “3100 party workers have been arrested for no reason”.

The PTI chairman warned the coalition government of launching nationwide protests if elections were not held in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa within 90 days.

“If elections are not held within 90 days the country will be without a Constitution,” former premier maintained while speaking to journalists at his Lahore Zaman Park residence.

Imran negated the impression that President Arif Alvi was playing the role of a bridge between the PTI and the establishment.

“Under what law Punjab and K-P assemblies can be restored [if elections are not held within the stipulated time],” he questioned.

Imran said they would take to the streets if polls are not held within 90 days.

Taking a dig at former army chief, Imran said General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa wanted “friendship with India” for which he had “pressurised” him, and, therefore, the relationship between “us deteriorated”.

“The former army chief should be held accountable by the army.”

Commenting on the current political situation, the former premier said PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi and President Chaudhry Pervez Elahi had been given the task of re-establishing contacts with other political parties.

He said there was no restriction on any PTI member to meet other parties and political figures.

Imran flayed caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi and CCPO Lahore Bilal Siddique Kamyana for carrying out police raid at his Zaman Park residence on March 18, saying both of them were “criminals”.

“There was no reason for attack on my house in my absence. A case has been prepared in this connection and will be filed soon,” he said.

Meanwhile, on the directives of party chairman, PTI Central President Chaudhry Parvez Elahi contacted via phone Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s (MQM-P) convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, senior leader Mustafa Kamal, Dr Waseem Akhtar, Pakistan Awami Tahreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri’s son Dr Hasan Mohiuddin, secretary general Khurram Nawaz Gandapur and Jamiat Ahle Hadith Pakistan’s emir Allama Zubair Ahmad Zaheer and discussed the current political situation, including the supremacy of the Constitution.

Several political leaders, including former provincial ministers Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed, Muhammad Basharat Raja and former MPA Abdullah Yousuf, also called on Elahi at his residence to deliberate on the current political crisis.

Terming the coalition government’s demand of full court to hear the PTI’s plea challenging the postponement of elections, Elahi termed it “drum beating”, saying it was meant to avoid polls.

“The demand of full court on part of fugitive Nawaz Sharif is ridiculous.  He escaped jail by lying and is now instructing the judiciary.”

The former Punjab chief minister said Nawaz’s demand had proved that “strings of conspiracy” against the apex court were being “pulled from London”.

Elahi further said that the IMF and the international community had come to know that Premier Shehbaz Sharif’s government was on “crutches with no future”.

“Coalition government can fall anytime. That is why Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates are not ready to give guarantee for Shehbaz and Ishaq Dar [to extend loans],” he said.

He said the global community was seeing PTI as a party that would come to power in the next few months.

“There is a positive and pleasant change in the attitude of United States. Even in American think tanks, there are discussions about Imran Khan’s extraordinary popularity and becoming the prime minister again.”

Separately, PTI senior leader Fawad Chaudhry said that meetings of “fascist criminals” who are “guilty of violating the Constitution” had no value.

He was referring to the coalition government’s Saturday moot which was held to discuss the Supreme Court’s bench hearing the PTI’s plea against the postponement of Punjab polls.