PM’s disqualification : Imran calls for early elections

PTI chief says a new premier would not solve the political unrest in the country.

ISLAMABAD: Following the disqualification of former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday demanded early elections to steer the country out of the current political crisis.

“The only solution left now is early elections,” said PTI chief Imran Khan while addressing a press conference on Wednesday.

Terming the Supreme Court decision against National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza’s ruling in the contempt of court case ‘historic,’ Khan said the incumbent government had failed to deliver during the last four years and it would be naive to expect any good at this juncture.

Earlier on Tuesday, a three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry disqualified Gilani from the office of prime minister for refusing to ask Switzerland to reopen multi-million-dollar graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Imran said that Gilani’s disqualification would change the course of political events. However, he went on to add that a new prime minister was not the solution to the current political unrest in the country.

Expressing frustration over the power crisis, the PTI chief said he has decided to stand with the people and protest against load-shedding. Imran also announced a protest rally in Faisalabad on June 27, adding that he would visit other cities to protest with the masses.

Censuring the Punjab government, Imran said the rulers of the province had failed to protect the lives and property of people during the power riots.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2012.