In another live telethon on Monday, Prime Minister Imran Khan made the case for early elections, asking why the erstwhile opposition has approached the Supreme Court against the president's decision to dissolve the assemblies.

"They have been demanding that the prime minister should resign and hold early elections. That is what I have done. Why have they gone to the Supreme Court now," he asked while referring to the opposition's decision to move the top court against the NA speaker's decision not to take up the no-confidence motion and the president's decision to dissolve assemblies. It must be mentioned here that the Supreme Court has also taken suo moto notice of the situation.

"What is better: to go to the people to get the mandate or let it be decided by an international conspiracy, where lawmakers are being paid Rs20-25 crores," he asked while referring to the alleged foreign-funded conspiracy that the PM claims has been put in motion by the US and is being supported by the opposition leadership.

The premier then outlined the reason that he says compelled the opposition to opt for such a course of action:

"They want NRO-like relief," he said while stating that opposition leaders have cases pending against them.

"Shehbaz Sharif is on bail, so is his son," he said, adding that Nawaz Sharif has been convicted, while former finance minister Ishaq Dar is also an absconder.

"They want these cases to end," he continued, adding that they were hoping for something akin to the National Reconciliation Ordinance that was granted to them by then-president General Pervez Musharraf.

"In the last 10 years, they have had new cases filed against them," he continued.

He further added that the opposition was against early elections in order to take charge of the interim setup and put in place their own people who would then be able to rig the vote when elections are next held.

More to follow