LAHORE: According to a report published by Daily Jang on Saturday, Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi signed the summary of dissolution of Punjab Assembly and handed it over to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan.
The publication said that the news is still unconfirmed from sources close to the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) leader.
Khan on Friday invited the PDM-led government to the table to discuss the possibility of early general elections and in the same breath warned against dissolving assemblies where they hold power.
The PTI’s argument is that if the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab Assemblies are dissolved, by-elections should be held in more than 60 percent of Pakistan.
The party believed it could force the government to hold early elections through the move, but the ruling coalition has categorically rejected the notion, declaring that elections will be held on time in 2023.
“Give us a date for the elections or we will dissolve the KP and the Punjab Assemblies,” Khan said in a video address to the PTI’s Punjab Parliamentary Party from his Lahore residence in Zaman Park.
وزیراعلیٰ پنجاب @ChParvezElahi نے پنجاب اسمبلی توڑنے کا اختیار مجھے دے دیا ہے.
— PTI (@PTIofficial) December 2, 2022
چیئرمین پی ٹی آئی عمران خان pic.twitter.com/CIlo0yKWvX
We have the full support of Muslim League (Q), Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi will dissolve the provincial assembly on my call.
He said that PTI’s demand for early general elections is part and parcel of PTI’s commitment to support the country’s economy as the party’s full focus is on bringing Pakistan back on its feet.
The government turned down the PTI’s offer, saying that negotiations could not be held as strings would be attached. The former prime minister is consulting within the party, but no announcement has been made regarding the dissolution of the PTI-ruled assemblies.
