Elahi says owes Punjab govt to Imran, ‘won’t hesitate for a minute’ if asked to dissolve assembly
Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi on Sunday brushed aside concerns of any resistance from him regarding PTI’s planned dissolution of Punjab assembly, acknowledging that he owed his government to PTI chief Imran Khan and would oblige to his instructions immediately.
Elahi is in power in Punjab due to the support of PTI, whose chairman a day earlier announced plans to “quit the corrupt system and leave all the assembles”.
Some analysts had doubted that Imran would be able to follow through with his plan, saying that Elahi would resist any such move.
However, in a video message today, the PML-Q leader said the incumbent Punjab government was established on the PTI chairman’s mandate, adding that “Imran has posed his trust in us.”
“When Imran tells me to dissolve the assemblies, I won’t even wait half a minute,” Elahi said, adding that “PM Shehbaz Sharif’s 27km-long [federal] government won’t even last for 27 hours” following the move.
The Punjab chief minister said that “the sea of applause from the people is a proof of Imran Khan’s popularity.”
He said the PTI chief’s political strategy had entered a decisive round in the Rawalpindi rally and that chaos will ensue among the PDM coalition’s ranks when resignations are tendered from the KP and Punjab assemblies.
He lambasted PML-N for “spewing lies”, saying that future generations of Nawaz Sharif’s party will remember what happened to them.
“In this country, religion will rule and the common man, including poor people and their children, will benefit from the government’s work,” he said.
Later, former human rights minister Shireen Mazari appreciated Elahi’s stance.
Elahi’s remarks echoed the thoughts of his son Moonis Elahi, who a day earlier had said that his father was able to become the chief minister with the help of the PTI chairman and the PML-Q intended to keep its promises made to him.
“Our time in power is a bonus. We are sticking to our promise. Whenever Imran Khan asks [for dissolution], the Punjab Assembly will be dissolved,” he had said in a tweet soon after the PTI chief’s statement.
PML-Q MNA Hussain Elahi had also stated CM Elahi would not think twice before dissolving Punjab Assembly as soon as directed by the PTI chairman.
