Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that his political opponents are blackmailing the judiciary to prevent elections in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa from being held within the constitutional limit of 90 days.
“The PML-N is threatening the judiciary, the judiciary is being blackmailed, the reason for this is to stop the elections within 90 days,” the PTI chief said. Addressing the nation via video link on Thursday from his Zaman Park residence where he is recuperating after being injured in an assassination attack in Wazirabad on November 3.
The former prime minister, whose government was ousted last year by a no-confidence motion – a first in Pakistan’s history – has accused the PML-N of “buying judges” in the past.
The PTI chief, who has been demanding early elections since his ouster in April, stressed that the polls should not be postponed beyond constitutional limits.
Khan’s statement came a day after Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Atta Bandyal took suo motu notice of the apparent delay in the elections and constituted a large bench headed by him to hear the case, which will be heard today. Started from
The nine-judge bench was constituted two days after President Dr Arif Alvi set the date for elections to Punjab and KP provincial assemblies on April 9 – a move the government termed as “unconstitutional and illegal”. ” was condemned by declaring.
The PTI chief cited Article 224 of the Constitution and said caretaker governments cannot remain in power for more than 90 days. “Their only job is to hold free and fair elections.”
The ousted prime minister warned of disaster if elections are not held within the stipulated period of 90 days.
Criticizing the PDM-led coalition government, he said: “The longer they stay in power, the country will sink further into the quagmire”.
He further said that the only solution to political instability in the country is free and fair elections.
‘Neutral offered PML-N chairmanship’
Turning his guns on the establishment, the ousted prime minister said: “Those who call themselves neutral have offered him the chairmanship of the Muslim League-N.”
PTI MPAs were forced to change their loyalties, the ousted prime minister claimed and paid tribute to former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and his son Munis Elahi for not bowing to the situation. “We honored Elahi because he merged his party with PTI despite pressure,” Khan said.
The PTI chief praised Pervez Elahi two days after the former Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader announced joining the PTI along with 10 former MPAs from his party.
Attempts are being made to disqualify me, Imran also claimed, adding that those who consider themselves above the law put pressure on the judiciary.
Talking about the rising inflation and deteriorating economic situation of the country, the ousted prime minister said that the people are ready to come to the streets. “People in Sri Lanka set fire to the Prime Minister’s House in a similar situation.”
In July last year, thousands of protesters stormed the official residence of Sri Lanka’s president and set fire to the prime minister’s private residence in Colombo as anger grew over the country’s worst economic crisis.
Khan said that if they did not take the path of peaceful protest, the nation would move towards “this” path that would bring destruction to the country.
Earlier this week, the National Assembly unanimously approved the government’s much-needed Rs 170 billion ‘money budget’ – a move required to secure a $1.1 billion tranche from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). .
The country is in dire need of funds as it is battling a severe economic crisis as foreign exchange reserves held by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) barely cover a month’s worth of imports.
