ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has accused Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of deliberately prolonging the procedure of voting on resolutions regarding the resignation of his party’s MNAs. Speaking to the press on Tuesday, Mr Khan said the PTI had returned to the National Assembly as part of a memorandum of understanding it had signed with the government for the formation of an inquiry commission for the general elections. “If the PML-N wants to remove us from the assemblies, who is stopping them?” said Mr Khan. “The PTI is ready for by-elections.”

Talking about the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Mr Khan said despite allegation of having received money from RAW, MQM was still a part of the Parliament. He added that the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief was no different and his loyalties were easily secured. MQM and JUI-F lawmakers have moved resolutions against the PTI seeking to de- seat their lawmakers for being absent from the National Assembly for more than 40 days. The government argues that it wants reconciliation and is against presenting the resolutions for a vote. Instead, it has been trying to persuade MNAs to withdraw their resolutions.

Imran Khan claims party is ready for by-elections

Mr Khan challenged the government to vote in favour of the MQM and JUI-F and asked his party’s lawmakers to not return to the National Assembly as long as the government continued with its dual policy on their resignations.

Protest against ECP: On Tuesday, the PTI chief hinted that the next round of party demonstrations would be against serving members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Mr Khan said he will decide in the next couple of days if the PTI will be coming out on the streets to protest against the ECP.

“Following the report on the poll’s inquiry commission, ECP members should show some grace and resign from their positions,” he said while responding to a question, adding that he had written a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner.

Mr Khan also criticised the commission for what he believed was its failure to conduct free and fair local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Party matters: Mr Khan asked party members to restrain themselves and not speak out against each other. “I am concerned that internal party matters and decisions are being commented on by PTI members in public forums,” he said in a statement. “All party members have the right to express their opinion within the party.” He added that going public with the party’s decisions was unacceptable and could lead to members being suspended from the party. The PTI chief said intra-party elections would be held later this year after the proposed local government polls in Sindh and Punjab.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2015

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