LAHORE, Dec 17: PTI Chairman Imran Khan is currently addressing the nation and a decision is expected on his dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies.
Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan are beside him as well for the address. At the outset of his address, Imran said the country needed “fresh and fair elections”.
“We fear the country is drowning,” he added.
Imran started his address by bemoaning the current economic situation of the country and contrasted that with his government’s performance.
He lamented the brain drain ongoing in the country, saying that skilled people and professionals were leaving the country in droves.
“My question today is, who was responsible for this regime change?” he said, referring to his government’s ouster via a no-confidence motion earlier this year.
Imran is expected to disclose the date of dissolution of the two assemblies — KP and Punjab — where his party is in power. Last month, Imran said that his party would disassociate itself from the “current corrupt political system” by quitting the two provincial assemblies.
The decision to dissolve assemblies was met with great objection from PML-N and PPP leaders — the main forces of the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement government. Later, the PML-N had announced that it was ready to contest elections in case the PTI continued with its decision to dissolve the two assemblies.
Footage from Liberty Chowk showed a large crowd of people gathered for Imran’s address.
Earlier, party leader Hammad Azhar lead a caravan of vehicles towards Liberty Chowk.
The movement towards Liberty Chowk began in earnest after Imran wrapped up an important meeting with the Punjab and KP CMs at his Zaman Park residence.
Following the meeting, Punjab CM Parvez Elahi said that he returned Imran’s “mandate of the Punjab Assembly back to him”.
Parvez, his son Moonis Elahi and MNA Hussain Elahi were part of the meeting. KP CM Mahmood Khan, PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, senior leaders Asad Umar, Fawad Chaudhry, Pervez Khattak, Shibli Faraz, Ali Amin Gandapur and others were also present.
According to a press release from the CM Secretariat about the meeting’s details, the PTI chairman will announce his decision pertaining to the dissolution of assemblies alongside the two chief ministers.
