ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday warned that his “country is sinking”, according to sources, announcing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces will dissolve their assemblies to pave the way for fresh polls.
Ever since his government was toppled, Khan repeated called for early “fair” election, accusing the current government under Shehbaz Sharif responsible for his ouster.
“Till the time free and fair elections are not held, we are all afraid that the country (Pakistan) is sinking,” PTI chairman Khan said in a video address with Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan by his side, as NDTV reported.
Imran Khan also reiterated his demand for free and fair elections, warning the country might sink otherwise. He said free and fair elections were the only solution to Pakistan’s problems and said the government was “afraid” of new elections due to the fear of losing, Dawn reported.
“Once we dissolve both the assemblies, we will hold elections in the provinces. Also, our 123-125 National Assembly members — whose resignations have not been accepted — will ask the speaker inside the assembly to accept their resignations,” he said.
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Addressing the people of Pakistan, the PTI chief asked the nation to refrain from being disappointed, saying it was akin to “running away from our duty to society”, the Dawn newspaper reported.
He said a “lesson should be taught through elections” to the government and deal it “such a defeat that the names of these thieves are wiped out forever”.
Imran Khan said the country would “stand up” when “tough decisions” are taken for “restructuring institutions and establishing justice in the country”.
Earlier, Ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan accused former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa of playing a “double game” against the government, according to sources, saying he committed a “big mistake” when extended the tenure of then military chief in 2019.
“I would believe in everything General Bajwa would tell me because our interests were the same… that we had to save the country,” said 70-year-old Khan, as India Today quoted.
The Paksitan Tahreek Insaf (PTI) chairman also claimed he received reports from Intelligence Bureau (IB) on “what games were being played against his government”.
He claimed that then military establishment was in contact with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif to topple his government and the plot against him became clear following the removal of Lt Gen (retd.) Faiz Hameed as ISI chief in October 2021.
