PESHAWAR: Awami National Party has accused Prime Minister Imran Khan of using official resources to run campaign for his party candidates in the upcoming local government elections and warned to take him to the court for violating election rules.

ANP provincial president Aimal Wali Khan said in a statement here on Sunday that despite repeated notices by the Election Commission of Pakistan the prime minister and his ministers were addressing public meetings to run campaign for his party candidates in the second phase of the local government elections, which was scheduled to be held on March 31.

The ANP, he said, would not remain silent any longer on the issue and it would raise voice against the misuse of official resources. He said that spending of national wealth on the election campaign was illegal and thus his party would also move a court of law for taking action against the government.

Aimal Wali said that the premier had lost majority in the National Assembly and he was legally bound to step down without any delay. He said that the opposition parties had taken a unified stand to oust the ‘selected’ government at the earliest.

Referring to the PTI’s public meeting at Dargai in Malakand district, he claimed that the people belonging to Mardan, Batkhela and Swat had been provided free transport facilities, but even then they did not take interest to listen to the PM’s speech.

The ANP provincial chief said that Imran Khan’s speech in Dargai was nothing more than a request to the deserting MPs of his party to rejoin him. He said that sooner or later the PM would step down to pave the way for fresh elections in the country.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2022