Imran Khan, the former prime minister and the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, told supporters Wednesday that he would announce the date for the dissolution of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies at Liberty Chowk on December 17.

Imran, who was addressing supporters via a live broadcast from Lahore, said that he had a meeting with senior leaders of the party for a consultation on the country’s situation, including how major thugs were getting pardons in an obvious reference to amendments to the laws that govern corruption watchdog NAB.

Dissolution of assemblies

Imran, who is leading a nationwide campaign for early elections, said that once the KP and Punjab assemblies are dissolved, they will get the date of early elections. He urged PTI’s 123 lawmakers in National Assembly to get their resignations accepted in the meantime.

“After quitting assemblies, 70% of the country will require elections,” he said and quoted the Constitution which requires elections within 90 days of the dissolution of assemblies.

NAB

On the issue of corruption, he said that there were books detailing their tale of ill-gotten gains. He cited a couple of authors including American journalist Ron Suskind’s ‘Way of the World: A Story of Truth and Hope in an Age of Extremism is a 2008’ and documentaries that featured on the BBC.

“If the author has made wrong claims, then file a case against them,” he said while saying that he was doing the same against a news channel on the issue of watches.

He said that General retired Qamar Javed Bajwa, who recently finished his six-year tenure as Pakistan’s army chief, gave an NRO-like pardon to people who are now in power in an obvious reference to PM Shehbaz Sharif among others.

Economic woes

On the state of the economy, Imran Khan said that unemployment was on the rise, agriculture sector was in crisis even though global oil prices have fallen.

He blamed the finance minister, Ishaq Dar, saying that he too got a clean-chit under the NRO-like pardon that ended all questions about his assets.

While expressing concerns of a soverign default, Imran said that he was in communication with ‘institutions’ about the unfolding economic situation. He said that it seemed like there was a concentrated effort to take Pakistan towards ruin in an attempt to compromise national security. “Once we default, we all know what would be the condition for a bailout.”

Military role

Imran, who was long considered as the darling of the country’s Establishment before a falling out, claimed that the perception was being engendered that PTI wanted the Establishment’s intervention. “I want the Establishment to be neutral. This country needs a strong army. I do not want to see the army weakened.”

He was critical of Gen retired Bajwa, saying that there was political interference during the time the PTI was in power. “They were openly hostile. For seven month, people received calls from unidentified phone numbers and were threatened.”

Who were those behind the Toshakhana case and who compelled people to give statements, he continued.

He said that he was imprisoned for speaking against General retired Musharraf while he was in power. “But I haven’t seen the human rights violations like the ones took place during General retired Bajwa’s tenure.”

He tried to weaken the country’s biggest political party, he continued.

Imran added that he knew the people who were behind the attempt on his life but he was unable to get a case registered against them.

Scoop from Saleem Shaikh in Lahore

Aaj News Lahore Bureau Chief Saleem Shaikh reported Wednesday that the PTI was likely to dissolve the provincial assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa before December 23.

Party sources say that the PTI’s senior leadership wants elections on March 23. The purpose of dissolving the assemblies on or before December 23 is to hold elections before the holy month of Ramazan.

Sources say that if the assemblies are dissolved after December 23, it will be difficult to hold elections in Ramazan.