‘Imran never refused to hold talks on polls’

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Central President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has slammed the government for portraying a “wrong image” of Chairman Imran Khan, saying that the former prime minister never refused to negotiations on elections.

The PTI stalwart also expressed his astonishment at Pakistan Democratic Movement President Maulana Fazlur Rehman, saying that the JUI-F chief was in a hurry to hold elections when the PTI was in power, but today he was leading a campaign against them. “Tell me, isn’t this an open contradiction?” Elahi asked while speaking to the media after offering Eid prayers at Kunjah House, Gujrat.

Former federal minister Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain and other family members, including Rasikh Elahi, accompanied him. Zulfiqar Ali Ghumman, Sheikh Shahkaz Aslam, Shujahat Nawaz Ajnala, Meher Kashif and other leaders were also present.

Elahi said, “Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s news conference against the chief justice, all superior judges, and Imran Khan is extremely irresponsible and unacceptable. I am surprised that Maulana Fazlur Rehman was the one who was in a hurry for [holding] the election, but today, he is the one leading the campaign against the election.”

Elahi said that the PML-N did not get candidates for the ticket in Punjab so they boycotted the election on the same pretext to remove their fear.

“The boycott of the PML-N has not made any difference to Imran Khan, nor will it. The election defeat of the PML-N in Punjab is carved in stone.”

He said the matter of election was constitutional and it would be solved constitutionally. The PTI central president claimed that there was no way out without negotiations while “political negotiations can also be held within the constitutional limits”.

Elahi said, “We pray that there will be a way out of this and a fair and transparent election [will be held].”

He said the Supreme Court clarified the constitutional limits of negotiations in its order. “The Supreme Court has given the last chance to the government, further disobedience will result in disqualification.”