AMJAD ALI SHAH

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan on Thursday reiterated his party’s demand for early elections while terming them beneficial for the people of Pakistan under the current circumstances in the country.

Addressing media in Chitral, he said that though early elections are an undemocratic process but it becomes a solution if the mandate turns suspicious.

He observed that the money which should be spent on public is being spent on corrupt rulers. The nation will not accept a third NRO, he added.

The PTI chief said that in present circumstances, there was no way out besides early elections. He added that only “a fool” would term the step to be against democracy.

Imran quoted the instances from different countries, saying Theresa May of UK and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey called elections in their respective countries as the process strengthens democracy. He said the sooner elections take place the better it would be.

The PTI chief also criticised the incumbent government, saying the country’s stock market was plunging but the prime minister went on a visit to Britain, as did chief minister of Punjab who went to London to meet his brother to talk about the country’s political scenario.

Moreover, Imran added, the country’s economy was in shambles as its finance minister was in bed though cases have been in pending against him, while a case of taking a salary from Dubai has been surfaced against the foreign minister.

While unleashing verbal onslaught against the PML-N, Khan maintained, “The Prime Minister went to England to sort out the matter of his personal airline; Punjab Chief Minister went to London to meet Nawaz whereas Finance Minister is lying on hospital’s bed. No one is concerned or worried about the country.”

Commenting on the alliance of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP), Khan asserted that he sees no conspiracy in the union.

The PTI chief lashed out at former NAB chairman and said that the later saved Nawaz Sharif and Zradari’s corruption therefore; he should be punished and made an example for others. “The days of status quo and corrupt mafia have gone,” he pronounced.

Imran Khan maintained that India is carrying out terrorism in Pakistan via Afghanistan. “The nation has to stand with the army against terrorism,” he said.

Talking about the smog situation in the country, Khan said that environmental pollution is a serious problem which is having adverse effects on health and crops.