Imran invites govt for talks on early election

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has invited the coalition government to talk over the possibility of early general elections, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Speaking to the Punjab parliamentary party through a video link on Friday, he had warned if the federal government failed to give an early election date, they would dissolve the assemblies in two provinces, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as a result of which, around 66% of Pakistan would have to vote for by-polls.

The former prime minister lamented the rising unemployment rate while asserting that stability would come with the arrival of the new government.

He reiterated that Pakistan was on the verge of default. He said PTI's demand for early general elections was the part and parcel of the PTI's resolve to shore up the country's economy as the party was totally focused on bringing Pakistan back to its feet.

Speaking on the dissolution of the assembly, Imran Khan stated that his party leadership made this choice for the good of the nation. He questioned whether the current government wanted the elections to be held in only 66 percent of the seats, which are in Punjab and KP.

"We have the full backing of PML-Q. CM Punjab Chaudhry Pervez Elahi will disband the provincial assembly on my call," he vowed.

The former premier slammed Federal Minister Ishaq Dar for saying he would deal with Moody s because he had since remained silent on the subject. He took a swipe at the coalition government, accusing it of lacking a plan.

Imran raised his voice in support of the farmers’ community, saying, "In our time, the farmers had finally received benefits. But now that diesel prices have skyrocketed, farmers are worried.”

He claimed that the ruling party had stolen Rs1100 billion through the NAB amendment.

The PTI chairman said the federal government was required to give the Punjab government Rs176 billion, but it has not done so.

He also claimed that the center has not given money to the governments of Balochistan or KP.

Meanwhile, former federal minister and PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry clarified that PTI chairman Imran Khan gave a chance to the federal government to sit with us and work out a framework for the early elections across the country.

He added that if the government doesn’t want elections in 34 percent of their seats, the PTI will dissolve assemblies and have by-elections in 66 percent of the seats (of KP and Punjab assemblies).

Addressing the media along with Farrukh Habib in Lahore on Friday, Fawad said both parties PML-N and PPP are running away from elections because their politics is over.

He said that Rana Sanaullah is a frivolous man and primer Shahbaz Sharif should tell him what he has to do.

“Ch Parvaiz Elahi has given the authority to Imran Khan to dissolve the Punjab Assembly,” he added.

He said that the lawmakers of the Punjab assembly reposed their confidence in Imran Khan’s leadership and gave the mandate to dissolve the assemblies to the PTI chief.

“All the members of Punjab and KP confirmed the party’s decision to dissolve the assembly,” he added.

Imran Khan invited the government to negotiate, one is economic and the other is a governance challenge.

He said that Pakistan is suffering from a huge economic crisis, he added.

Reacting to former prime minister Imran Khan’s statement regarding a conditional offer of talks to the coalition government, Federal Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb gave October 2023 date for the next general elections.