KP Chief Minister ‘prepares’ summary for Assembly dissolution

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan may initiate the process to dissolve the provincial assembly as and when the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly is duly notified, a senior cabinet member told on Friday.

The KP government spokesman, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, said that legally, it took at least 48 hours for any assembly to be dissolved after a summary was signed and sent to the governor.

However, he said that the process of dissolving the KP Assembly would begin after the Punjab Assembly was dissolved. He also said that there was no hurdle stopping the government from dissolving the KP Assembly.

Meanwhile, PTI central leader Asad Umar said that the next step was the dissolution of the Punjab Assembly. Asked when the KP Assembly was going to be dissolved, he said it “should be dissolved in the next 48 hours”.

On a question if there had been a final settlement between PTI and PML-Q on seat adjustment, he said there was no definitive number of the seats that the PML-Q was asking.

“In fact, they have said that they would be discussing the seat adjustment after the dissolution has taken place” to avoid the impression that the party was blackmailing the PTI.

In line with the directions of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has prepared a summary for the dissolution of the provincial assembly, revealed the party’s Senior Vice-President Fawad Chaudhry.

The development came a day after Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi signed the summary for the dissolution of the provincial assembly.

During an interaction with journalists on Friday, Fawad said that “money laundering” was the key reason behind the country’s economic crisis.

“How can there be economic prosperity in the country, when the finance minister is involved in money laundering,” he added.

Referring to a question, the PTI leader asked the Punjab governor not to wait for “48 hours” and urged him to dissolve the assembly immediately so that the process for the formation of an interim set up be initiated.

He hoped that a person who can hold impartial elections in the province would be named as a caretaker chief minister.

‘Court rejects plea filed by new broiler MQM’

The plea filed by the new “broiler MQM” was rejected by the court, the PTI leader said, adding that the LG polls in Karachi and Hyderabad would be held as per the schedule — January 15 (Sunday).

All component parties of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) were trying to avoid the elections, he said, adding that they were afraid of facing the people.

Speaking on the occasion, Fawad also urged the Supreme Court to ensure that the elections are held as per the schedule.

Extending a dialogue offer to the federal government yet again, he asked the Centre to jointly devise a framework for the general elections in the country.

The PTI leader also said that President Arif Alvi can ask Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to take a trust vote as it is his “constitutional right”.

PML-N Supremo Nawaz Sharif should return home and face the cases lodged against him, he said.

Let the investigations into the assassination attempt on the life of PTI chief Imran Khan be completed independently, Fawad said and warned against any obstacle in it.