PM Shehbaz calls for ‘political stability’ as Imran set to unveil assemblies dissolution strategy
As PTI gears up to unveil plans for the dissolution of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday called for political stability in the country and slammed his opponents for “spreading anarchy”.
“It is required for the sake of loyalty to Pakistan and allegiance that there must be economic stability,” a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) quoted the premier as saying.
Shehbaz’s remarks come ahead of a PTI rally in Lahore where party chairman Imran Khan is expected to disclose the date of dissolution of the two assemblies — KP and Punjab — where his party is in power.
Last month, Imran said that his party would disassociate itself from the “current corrupt political system” by quitting the two provincial assemblies.
The decision to dissolve assemblies had been met with great objection from PML-N and PPP leaders — the main forces of the ruling PDM government. Later, the PML-N announced that it was ready to contest elections in case the PTI continues with its decision to dissolve the two assemblies.
In a statement carried by state-run APP, PM Shehbaz said that only political stability and an economic charter could “strengthen Pakistan’s national solidarity”.
“The people who had laid land mines in the economic foundations of the country, are out to do the same in the political foundations of the country,” Shehbaz stated in a veiled reference to the PTI leadership.
He said that it was the “desire of someone” that Pakistan should be pushed into (financial) default but assured that neither it would happen nor would they let it happen.
“The people who had hurt public confidence are now out to dissolve assemblies,” he added, claiming that their objective was to create political instability.
“There is no doubt that economic havoc was brought under an agenda and the political instability is a continuity of that action,” he opined.
Shehbaz called upon the nation to ponder why the “wrongdoing junta” suddenly swung into action whenever the country was taken on the path of economic prosperity.
“The political miscreants wanted to force the world to not invest in Pakistan by spreading anarchy, besides hampering the efforts for rehabilitation of the flood-affected people,” Shehbaz said.
He lambasted his political opponents for being self-centric and interested in their political interests and for not being concerned about the plight of the flood victims or the efforts to save them from the harsh winter conditions, hunger, and diseases.
The prime minister vowed that they would rid the public of food inflation and unemployment similar to how they delivered their promises by removing “a liar and corrupt government” with the power of the Constitution.
He also said that in order to provide employment to the youth, it was necessary to get rid of the “politically unemployed”.
The premier went on to advise his political opponents to take pity on the condition of the people of Pakistan, adding that real politics was to bring the public out of the curse of poverty and unemployment.
Shehbaz added that during the past four years of the previous government’s tenure, the people had endured economic upheaval and exhorted the PTI leaders to not create hurdles in the economic prosperity of the country.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah blamed the PTI’s “sedition, riots and anarchy” for “destroying Pakistan’s economy”.
He said that if elections did take place, Imran’s “riotous thinking” would not change.
The minister claimed that the PTI chairman’s agenda was not an election but rather crashing the economy.
Meetings underway in Lahore
Ahead of the PTI rally on Saturday — which is expected to begin in the evening — the chief ministers of KP and Punjab arrived at Imran’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore for an important meeting.
The senior leadership of the party, including members Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Fawad Chaudhry, was also in attendance.
Earlier in the day, PTI leader Hammad Azhar urged the people of Lahore to participate in the party gathering at Liberty Chowk today. “You need to come out once again today for your economic rights,” he said in a press conference.
The PTI is gearing up for provincial elections following the expected dissolution of the Punjab and KP assemblies — what it calls necessary to bring “political stability” to the country.
Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi has repeatedly announced his loyalty and support to Imran by assuring him that he would dissolve the Punjab assembly whenever Imran would ask him.
KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has also asserted that he would not waste “a single minute” in dissolving the KP assembly when party leader Imran directs to do so.