LAHORE: Strongly reacting to the rumours that serious considerations are afoot to install a technocrat government, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has said he is no more optimistic about holding of general elections in the country anytime soon.

Sticking to his stance that there is no use of talking to the incumbent “imported government”, former prime minister said only establishment had the role in letting elections happen and added that “establishment means army chief”. He said he had no contact with the “establishment”.

Speaking to media persons at his Zaman Park residence here on Wednesday, the PTI chief said: “It is more important to convince those forces that are backing the PDM government than the government itself to call that elections be held soon.”

He said there is hearsay about a technocrat government to be installed in the country and this compels him to believe that the government is not interested in holding general elections anytime soon.

He said the Pakistan Democratic Move­m­ent had reduced to a drawing room party.

Warns against installing technocrat government in country

Citing the example of Bangladesh, Mr Khan warned that “if any political engineering is attempted in the next general elections, the results will not be good”. Recalling that the mandate of the largest party in East Pakistan was not accepted, he said the PTI was the largest political party of Pakistan and denying mass public opinion would result in dire consequences.

The former prime minister yet again castigated former army chief retired Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, asserting that the latter committed “excesses against Pakistan” that pushed it to the threshold of default.

“Gen Bajwa did great injustice to this country; we are standing close to default,” he said, explaining how threat to default had increased to 90 per cent which was 5pc during his government.

Mr Khan said his government’s working relations with the former army chief were “good” and added that Gen Bajwa, however, did not consider corruption by politicians as something serious.

He claimed that corruption cases worth Rs1,100 billion were closed by amending the NAB law.

The PTI chief had earlier alleged that Gen Bajwa had “struck” a deal with PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. Mr Khan said since both PML-N and PPP had foreign assets, there was no use of entering into what they call a ‘charter of economy’.

He said the country is facing chronic political and economic problems and these cannot be resolved without ensuring rule of law after holding free and fair elections. He said the wave of terrorism would intensify if the powers that be did not hold dialogue with Afghanistan.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2022