Following Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf cheif Imran Khan’s announcement regarding en masse resignations from provincial assemblies, the party leaders held a crucial meeting at the party chairman’s Zaman Park residence in Lahore to discuss party’s strategy to quit assemblies while the ruling alliance in the center — Pakistan Democratic Movement also held a separate huddle which ended with an announcement to counter PTI’s plan effectively.
PTI meeting concluded with party leader Fawad Chaudhry announcing that the party leaders had endorsed Imran Khan’s decision to dissolve both KP and Punjab assemblies.
However, he said the date for the dissolution of assemblies would be announced later.
Babar Awan and Ali Zafar briefed the meeting chaired by party chief Imran Khan about the constitution and legal matters.
Aaj News Lahore Bureau Chief Saleem Shaikh the inside account of the meeting, which, he said, was aimed at considering the pros and cons of quitting the assemblies.
Both legal experts told the meeting that en masse resignations from KP and Punjab assemblies would amount to allowing PDM to usurp power.
During the meeting, the participants said that in case the assemblies were dissolved the provincial government and the opposition will have to jointly decide about the caretaker setup. In case the caretaker set-up was not agreed upon, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will decide.
The participants were of the view that PDM will benefit from the election commission getting the power to decide the caretaker setup.
In the meeting, the majority of the members proposed to dissolve the assemblies, saying that if the assemblies were dissolved, general elections must have to be held.
Imran Khan decided to further consult on the current situation and agreed to take Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi and Mons Elahi into confidence.
Following the meeting, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhary said in a press conference that the decision to dissolve the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab assemblies has been endorsed and the party will be issuing tickets for the fresh elections.
“Today [Monday] Parliamentary boards are being formed and the process for tickets is being started,” Fawad said and added that Imran Khan would meet Punjab chief minister Pervez Elahi tomorrow [Tuesday] to discuss the matter.
He said that a meeting of the Punjab assembly has been called on Friday and of KP assembly on Saturday. “Following both the meetings the assemblies will be dissolved,” he added.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz held a meeting of the parliamentary party at the Model Town office of former Punjab chief minister Hamza Shahbaz to discuss options available to foil the PTI plan of dissolving the provincial assemblies of KP and Punjab.
Following the meeting, PML-N leader Ataullah Tarar told a press conference that the party would do everything to ensure that assemblies complete their terms.
“The governor has the constitutional authority to ask the chief minister to take a vote of confidence,” he said and added that the PML-N would also consult the coalition parties regarding the matter.
He said that Hamza Shehbaz will meet with the independent candidates. “He [Hamza Shehbaz] has made many sacrifices for the stability of democracy, our petitions are still pending in the Supreme Court, they should be heard.”
PTI chairman Imran khan on Saturday during his Rawalpindi rally announced that PTI members would resign from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies to put pressure on PDM for early elections.
