LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi declared on Sunday that he won’t “wait for a minute” to dissolve the provincial assembly if PTI Chairman Imran Khan asks him to do so.
“I owe the Punjab government to Imran Khan. We stand with those whom we support,” Punjab Chief Minister Ch Pervaiz reaffirmed while responding to rumors and speculations, in a video statement on Sunday.
It is important to mention here that the PML-Q is an ally of the PTI in the Punjab.
پنجاب حکومت عمران خان کی امانت ہے۔ ہم وضع دار لوگ ہیں جس کے ساتھ چلتے ہیں اس کا ساتھ نہیں چھوڑتے۔ اسمبلیوں سے جب استعفے دئیے تو شہباز شریف کی 27 کلومیٹر کی حکومت 27 گھنٹے بھی نہیں چل سکے گی۔ عمران خان اسمبلیاں تو ڑنے کا کہیں گے تو ایک منٹ کی دیر نہیں ہوگی۔ #ImranKhan #Punjab pic.twitter.com/xHDHATucxJ
— Ch Parvez Elahi (@ChParvezElahi) November 27, 2022
The chief minister of Pakistan’s biggest province warned the Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition government in the Centre that in case PTI and its allies exit the country’s assemblies, then their “government, which expands over a mere 27kms, won’t last for the next 27 hours”.
He clarified his political party’s stance on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan’s call for the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly. The CM said that the Punjab government was the trust of Imran Khan and PML-Q leadership would not leave its allies alone after making promises. He said that Shehbaz Sharif-led government would never run even a day after the dissolution of assemblies following the MPAs’ mass resignations.
The chief minister clarified that they would not wait for a single minute if Imran Khan ordered to dissolve the assemblies. He added that Imran Khan was given a new life by Allah Almighty and his political strategy entered the decisive phase.
Pervaiz Elahi said that the massive public gatherings prove Imran Khan’s popularity. The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance will be shattered after the mass resignations of the MPAs”, he added.
He censured Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) for spreading lies and claimed that the ruling political party would face humiliation in the next elections.
The chief minister said that the Punjab government was working for welfare of the common man and vowed that the citizens would also get free medical facilities for cancer treatment soon.
On Saturday, former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan announced that his party has decided to quit all the assemblies in his address to a mammoth public meeting in Rawalpindi.
Imran Khan in his address in Pindi said: “I would announce the date of resignations after consulting chief ministers and the parliamentary party.”
PML-N, allies activate to foil plan
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and allies have consulted to save Punjab Assembly from dissolution. Most of the PML-N MPAs and allies were of the opinion to bring the no-trust motion against Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi in the assembly, sources said.
Some members have been of the opinion that the governor should ask the chief minister to get the vote of confidence from the house.
The chief minister could not ask for immediate dissolution of the assembly in case of a bid for vote of no-confidence or the confidence vote in pending, according to sources.
“In case of a no-confidence motion, the chief minister would have to get 186 votes, while the ruling coalition have 190 members strength in the assembly with 180 members of PTI and 10 PML-Q lawmakers,” sources said.
“The opposition is expected to begin political maneuvering after launching a no-confidence motion,” sources said. “The PML-N and its allies will take a final decision over the no-confidence,” sources added.
