Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb on Tuesday slammed PTI chief Imran Khan for demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, urging the country’s institutions to take action against the former prime minister.
After PTI landslide victory Imran Khan in the recent Punjab by-elections criticized The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for allegedly being biased. He had also claimed that the CEC was favoring the PML-N in the electoral battle.
Imran also said that his party won the by-elections despite the use of state machinery as he insisted that early elections were still the only solution to the country’s economic problems.
In today’s press conference Aurangzeb objected to Imran’s demand and said: “This man wants civil war. He has attacked every institution in the country, tried to sabotage Pakistan’s foreign policy and ruined the economy.” .
“Even on 3rd April, when the honorable court opened its doors due to its anger against the Constitution, it attacked the judges and accused them of taking decisions behind closed doors.”
On 3 April, the president dissolved the lower house of parliament after the former deputy speaker of the National Assembly rejected a no-confidence motion against Imran. This prompted the top court to take suo moto cognizance and eventually reinstate the NA, which later passed a no-confidence motion and removed Imran from office.
Maryam said that Imran has got used to appeasement.
“He wants to destroy anyone who goes against him,” the minister said. He insisted that Imran had tried to do the same with the ECP and the CEC.
The minister said the PTI chief wanted all the 20 seats in Punjab and had threatened to “set the ECP on fire” if he did not do so.
He said that in fact he is scared of the verdict in the banned funding case against PTI.
Reading: PM Shahbaz urges ECP to announce ‘long-delayed’ verdict in PTI prohibited funding case
He continued that Imran, “being an anarchic ruler with a Machiavellian attitude”, was used to the people who presented before him.
He said, “Youth has to understand this. Today we are heading towards economic crisis because of a mess created by one person and that is Imran Khan.”
“He doesn’t care […] They have a one-point agenda: to attack and destroy institutions.”
Aurangzeb slammed PTI for creating political instability in the country by making controversial statements every day.
“This is their strategy, to ruin the hard work we are doing to save the country,” he claimed, urging institutions to take action against the PTI chief under the Constitution.
He said, “He is a beast and if you give him more freedom, he will continue to act like this. Get rid of him according to the law and the Constitution.”
The minister also reiterated that fresh elections will be held only if the ECP and the present government deem it appropriate.
Fawad doubles down on demand for CEC’s resignation
Speaking to the media earlier in the day, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry said his party was “ready for talks” with the government on election reforms, but reiterated its demand for the resignation of the CEC.
“Our agenda is clear. CEC should resign and a new trustworthy ECP should be formed by all political parties. Once that is done, Shahbaz Sharif should announce the date of fresh elections.”
Only then will we be ready to talk to the government.
He further said that the government has very little time left in power. He said, if we want, we can get him out today. But we want them to decide. The ball is in their court.
Fawad was also confident that the PTI would take power in Punjab by July 22, when a by-election for the chief executive of the province would be held.
“And once that happens, we can ban the entry of Rana Sanaullah into the province,” he revealed.
Chowdhury said that Home Minister and PML-N leader Ataullah Tarar has done huge injustice to the PTI leaders and accused them of doing politics of hate.
He also suggested that Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz should tender his resignation immediately.