LAHORE: The ‘regime change experiment’ first divided politics and has now resulted in sinking of economy of the country beyond redemption, alleged a number of leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, who held a joint press conference at the party secretariat.

Those who spoke on the occasion include Asad Umer, Hamad Azhar, Sabtain Khan, speaker Punjab Assembly, and Andleeb Abbas.

They said the government first tried to impose “mini budget” through an ordinance, but the president refused to be part of such an anti-people step. Now the government has gone to the National Assembly to levy taxes, which would make life of commoners miserable. Rupee has lost its value against dollar. Inflation that was kept at 10 per cent during the Imran Khan government has jumped to 34pc. Millions of people have lost jobs. Foreign exchange reserves have dipped to a dangerously low level. And on the top of it all, the government has slapped billions of rupees in taxes. They said the Election Commission has become a party against the PTI. The elections are mandated to be held within 90 days constitutionally but they are nowhere to be seen despite lapse of 21 days since dissolution.

The government, which was installed through a conspiracy, now stands exposed on both fronts: economy and the constitution. The government is spending over a trillion rupees for itself every year but cannot spare Rs60 billion for elections. The PDM is preferring violation of the constitution to facing elections. The PTI would not seek help from any extra-constitutional forces for elections. It is duty of the parliament, president and judiciary to uphold the constitution and they must. It is time to bury the law of necessity and follow the constitution in letter and spirit.

Commenting on the possibility of a “national government,” they said it can only be formed through people’s mandate, not through drawing room bargains.

It was duty of the governor to announce elections even before announcing caretaker set-ups. The PTI is going to the president to demand action against the governor for violating the constitution. The governor should immediately announce elections so that the history remembers him with good words. Otherwise, he would be held guilty both by history and the law of the land.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2023