— PTI deputy chairman meets opposition politicians to mount joint defense against ‘attempts to subvert Constitution’
KARACHI: Shah Mehmood Qureshi, deputy chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), called on members of the ruling coalition, particularly the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), to declare their stance on the Constitution amid the Supreme Court’s deliberation on the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) decision to postpone elections in Punjab.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi on Sunday, Qureshi noted that the Constitution mandates that elections be held within 90 days of the dissolution of parliaments, but the government is using every tactic to delay them.
He criticised the PPP for joining hands with those who are trying to abrogate the Constitution. He pointed out that the PPP used to take pride in making the Constitution, but now seems to have forgotten their commitment to it.
He questioned why the self-proclaimed champions were scared of holding elections and asked why the grandson of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had decided to attack the Constitution made by his grandfather, and former president Asif Ali Zardari ruined it.
He also accused the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of attacking the Constitution and attempting to put pressure on the Supreme Court.
He emphasised that silence on this matter was not an option and urged parties who wanted to turn away from the Constitution to make their position clear.
The former foreign minister also accused the government of attempting to delay the polls and limit the chief justice’s powers by passing a new bill in the assembly.
Qureshi further said that an independent judiciary is necessary for a sovereign democracy and urged lawyers to support the Constitution and act as a barricade against any attempt to undermine it.
Qureshi has also planned a meeting with leaders of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) in order to convey the message of former prime minister Imran Khan to the opposition party. He informed the media that Imran Ismail, Karachi president of the PTI, has invited the GDA leadership for an Iftar dinner today, which will be attended by Pir of Pagaro, the president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F), among other leaders.
He added that the PTI is also in contact with other parties, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), to defend the Constitution and the independence of the judiciary and keep the nation united.
Upon arriving in Karachi, Qureshi was received at the airport by party leaders Ali Zaidi, Ismail, and Haleem Adil Sheikh.
