Lahore: As government and opposition in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa mull strategies to emerge victorious amid ongoing political crisis, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry said that party’s leadership has approved dissolution of assemblies in both provinces.

“As you all know, we are quitting assemblies. Therefore, party’s senior leadership has approved decision to dissolve assemblies,” Chaudhry told journalists here.

As he called off long march to Islamabad last week, PTI Chairman Imran Khan announced that his party and allies would quit assemblies as they wanted to opt out of “corrupt system”. Chief Minister Punjab Pervez Elahi a strong ally of PTI also backed decision and said that he would not wait for a minute to dissolve assembly if Khan orders him to putting further pressure on coalition government in Centre to move toward early general elections. While coalition rulers have ruled out holding general polls in country before August, PTI is insisting that ongoing political turmoil can only be resolved through snap elections.

In presser, Chaudhry said that Khan has spoken to Chief Minister KP Mahmood Khan and PTI Chief would hold meeting with CM Elahi later this week.

“Meetings of parliamentary parties of both assemblies have been summoned for later this week, following which, assemblies will be dissolved,” he said. Chaudhry said PTI has kick started process of allotting tickets to politicians and as party’s lawmakers resign from their respective assemblies, 563 seats from across country will be vacated and elections will be held on them. He said that opposition will also be invited to hold consultations with government in both provinces over formation of interim government.  Fawad said even if elections are held after seven to eight months, it won’t affect PTI due to its popularity, but party wishes for political stability which can only be achieved through early elections.

“Therefore, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif should announce date for general elections and dissolve National Assembly. But if you don’t, then PTI will dissolve assemblies wherever it rules.”

Chaudhry added that PTI would announce date of Punjab and KP assemblies’ dissolution in next two to three days. Before Chaudhry’s announcement, CM Punjab Elahi challenged opposition to table no-confidence motion against him as latter began talks on its strategy to send provincial government packing. In a statement, Chief Minister said PML-Q and PTI have combined 191 lawmakers in Punjab Assembly, and they are enough to defeat opposition’s moves. “When assembly is in session, voting on no-confidence motion cannot take place. Similarly, a confidence vote cannot be held while assembly is in session,” he said.

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 29 2022

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