Imran Khan, former prime minister, stated on Monday that the PTI would not be “trapped” in the administration’s “ill-intentioned plan” to postpone elections. He also threatened to mobilize his supporters on the streets if the Supreme Court’s directive to hold elections in Punjab on May 14 was disregarded. Imran said his party would approach the Supreme Court for elections as soon as possible in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab if the government did not dissolve the “remaining assemblies” by May 14 while speaking to the PTI’s “May Day” rally in Lahore from inside his car.
“’The PTI chief said if the government did not agree to this demand, refused to accept the apex court’s verdict on Punjab polls, defied the chief justice and his fellow judges and violated the Constitution, then “I want to say the PTI will come out on streets and we will bring the nation out with us”.m warning the thieves and their handlers that if you go against the Constitution and think you won’t accept the SC decision … then my nation will come out with me and on the country’s streets we will get the rule of law established,” he said, calling on his supporters to prepare for the “battle for Haqeeqi Azadi (true freedom)”.
Imran alleged that the government was running away from elections as it feared defeat to the PTI and wanted to remove him from the political arena.
The PTI chief said the apex court had already ordained May 14 as the date for the Punjab polls, adding that the only case where the elections would not be held was if the government agreed with his party’s stance on joint elections.
Laying down the PTI’s condition for one-day polls, Imran said that the remaining assemblies should be dissolved by May 14, adding that the party was only engaging in negotiations with the government at the chief justice’s advice.
“But if they’re making excuses for [holding] elections after [passing the] budget … if they think we will get trapped in their ill-intentioned plan and will wait for elections till September … then don’t have any misconception,” he said, adding that the PTI would take legal recourse in such a case.
In a tweet earlier today, Imran also stated that that the people would not tolerate the “mafia” undertaking actions that amounted to “running away from elections”.
“Our country in its present precarious economic situation will not be able to withstand a massive street movement,” he added.
Talks between the government and the PTI commenced last week on the advice of the Supreme Court, bringing an end to a long-time deadlock. After two rounds of talks, the parties are now expected to hold the final round of negotiations tomorrow (Tuesday).
However, cha¬nces that the dialogue will yield positive results are starting to look “very slim” after Imran demanded the dissolution of the National Assembly by May 14 to pave the way for a successful outcome of talks.
The government has termed Imran’s ultimatum “imp¬racticable” and asked him to be more flexible for the success of this dialogue bet¬ween the two sides.
