"This is necessary for a democracy...to save and strengthen the democracy, you [PM Abbasi] should move towards elections and seek a fresh mandate from the people", he said, adding the country's internal and external challenges also warrant to go for an early general elections. The PTI chief also demand that the names of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman should be placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) due to the ongoing inquiries against them.
He also urged the Supreme Court to dissolve the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and reconstitute a new one for holding the early general elections in the country, adding we have lost confidence in the incumbent ECP. Referring to the arrest warrant issued to him by the ECP in contempt case, he said that the election body doesn't have the right to issue contempt notices to anyone.
He criticised the cabinet ministers "controversial" statements, saying that the country's foreign policy was being affected. He said that the statement made by Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, which was later endorsed by the Prime Minister and reiterated by Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal that Pakistan needs to "put its house in order," was endangering the country.
He said the statements were similar to the narrative adopted by India at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). "Why did not you put the house in order four years ago under the National Action Plan (NAP), he posed a question to the government, adding that the Prime Minister was making "irresponsible" statements at a time when Pakistan was facing immense pressure from India and the US in the aftermath of Trump administration new South Asian and Afghan policy.
The PTI chief said that the new US policy humiliated Pakistan on the international platform and there was nobody to speak for the country, adding President Trump has shifted the blame on Pakistan for the US failure in Afghanistan. He maintained the government's entire focus was on the Panama Papers case when the US was in the making of its new policy for the region. "Where was our foreign minister when this policy was being framed?" he asked.
"My doubt is absolutely correct that they are maligning our own State institutions including the Military", Imran said, adding the Prime Minister in an interview with a foreign media "irresponsibly" stated that people from Pakistan might have involvement in Kabul terrorist attack.
He pointed out that five judges of the apex court have ruled against Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Abbasi states that his Prime Minister is Nawaz Sharif. "It means you are not accepting the Supreme Court judgement," he added. To a question, he said that his party was making efforts with other opposition parties to replace the PPP's opposition leader in the National Assembly, adding that opposition leader has a crucial role in the appointment of NAB chairman, in formation of the ECP and in the upcoming caretaker set up. The PTI chairman also called for an immediate merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, besides implementation of the Fata reforms.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017