LAHORE: Former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday reiterated his demand for early elections, warning that “country was slipping deeper into a quagmire”.
“Previously, they [PML-N] were challenging us to dissolve assemblies but when we decided to go ahead with this decision they introduced two motions,” he said while addressing the PTI protesters via video video link from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore.
He was referring to the no-confidence motion submitted against Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi by PPP and PML-N lawmakers on Monday and Governor Balighur Rehman’s move to order a vote of confidence in a bid to forestall the dissolution of the provincial assembly.
The PTI supporters were staging a demonstration outside Punjab Governor House protest Governor Balighur Rehman’s potential move to denotify CM Pervaiz Elahi.
“I have never witnessed country heading towards darkness in the history like today,” said the former premier.
Imran said he had been demanding early polls not for his party but for the country as PTI was already in power in two provinces of the country.
“Who want to topple his own government as almost 66 per cent of country is under our rule then why do we need to do this because country is plunging into quagmire,” he added.
Without naming anyone, Imran blamed “one person” for the prevailing economic and political crises.
“He did to country what no enemy could do eight months ago,” he said while apparently referring to his ouster from power via opposition’s no-confidence motion.
“That a man in enmity against us put the whole country in trouble because of that one man we were treated like enemy or traitor,” he added.
The former premier said the country was witnessing highest economic growth in its history when his government was toppled.
He went on to say that “one man” was still trying to damage his party and get him disqualified following the failed assassination attempt on his life.
“Journalists and social media activists who wrote in our support were brutally tortured”.
