Power politics in Punjab
\nPTI chief says only elections can save country from heading towards further economic, political instability
\n Islamabad
\nPakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday reiterated his call for holding early elections, urging the \u201cestablishment\u201d and \u201cjudiciary\u201d to play their role to avoid further economic destruction and political instability in the country.
\n\u201cWe are afraid that everything will get out of hand if [general] elections are not held soon,\u201d he said while addressing his workers and supporters via video link from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore.
\nImran Khan, who was removed from power through a vote of no-confidence in the National Assembly in April this year, also reminded his supporters about the PTI\u2019s winning by-election despite alleged rigging. He added that his assassination was decided as a result of his party\u2019s victorious stride.
\nThe PTI chief said that even though his party has governments in two provinces and rules over 66% of the country, it has decided the dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies.
\nLast week, the former premier announced that the dissolution of assemblies in both provinces would be done on Friday (tomorrow).
\n\u201cThis is everyone\u2019s battle, but not of those whose money is lying abroad,\u201d Khan said, pointing at the Pakistan Democratic Movement-led government in the Centre. He added that the nation rejected the \u201cgang of thieves\u201d.
\n\u201cI want to remind the nation that his toppled PTI government took the country towards economic progress,\u201d the deposed prime minister said.
\nHe went on to say that one man\u2019s decision toppled his government, deeming it \u201ccruelty\u201d.
\n\u201cOne man has enmity [towards PTI]. He decided to end the party. He decided to end Imran Khan,\u201d Khan said without naming the person he was referring to.<\/p>\n
The PTI government gave the highest growth rate in Pakistan\u2019s history when the economy was progressing, he added. \u201cThe country\u2019s wealth increased by 5.7% and 6% in the third and fourth year. The country had never progressed to this extent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Khan said that he had never seen the nation go into a dark time in his 70 years of life. \u201cOur country is getting stuck in quicksand.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that he is addressing those Pakistanis who have not laundered their money abroad rather than those who have looted the country.<\/p>\n
The PTI supporters were staging a \u201chuge protest\u201d outside the Governor House in Lahore. Ahead of Imran Khan\u2019s address, party workers also chanted slogans against the governor, and also brought a 100-metre-long PTI flag to show their support for the party chairman.<\/p>\n
Prior to Imran Khan\u2019s address, PTI\u2019s Focal Person for Economy Hammad Azhar took a jibe at Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah saying that while he was trying to seal the Punjab CM House, PTI supporters sealed the governor\u2019s house and has taken the governor hostage by \u201cstaging a huge protest\u201d.<\/p>\n
Warning the governor to beware of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Azhar said: \u201cThe people on whose dictation you are violating the Constitution will not even release a statement in your favour when needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Punjab Governor Baligh-ur-Rehman declared Punjab Assembly Speaker Sibtain Khan\u2019s ruling unconstitutional and illegal. The latter had defied his directives of summoning a session on Wednesday at 4pm for a vote of confidence pertaining to Chief Minister Parvez Elahi.<\/p>\n
Sibtain Khan, instead, termed the order against the Constitution and adjourned an ongoing session till Friday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Power politics in Punjab PTI chief says only elections can save country from heading towards further economic, political instability Islamabad Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday reiterated his call for holding early elections, urging the \u201cestablishment\u201d and \u201cjudiciary\u201d to play their role to avoid further economic destruction and political instability in the country. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":301661,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[11906],"class_list":{"0":"post-302839","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news","8":"tag-imran-kh"},"yoast_head":"\n