Islamabad: Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan Wednesday said that he was ready to wait till October if the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement-led coalition government shares a roadmap with him for holding fair general elections, according to a media report.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Khan has been demanding early national elections since his ouster in April last year after he lost a confidence vote in Parliament.
Pakistan’s election commission is preparing to hold general elections by October.
Khan, former cricketer-turned-politician, said that he was ready to wait till October for elections, however, his decision depends on the willingness of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led coalition government, The News reported.
The PDM mostly comprises political parties in the ruling coalition, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
The former prime minister said that if the coalition government shares a roadmap with him ensuring that everything will be in order then he can wait till October for the elections.
Addressing his party workers and supporters via video link, the PTI chief lauded the Supreme Court’s verdict of setting aside the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) ruling and ordering the Punjab Assembly polls May 14.
The three-member bench fixed May 14 as the date for polls in the politically crucial province, in a boost to the Khan-led PTI party.
Khan said: “The incumbent government is using all tactics to escape from elections, which is a part of the London plan,” apparently referring to the former prime minister and the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.
Since an assassination attempt on him in November last year, Khan has been talking about a “London Plan” — according to him — which includes conspiracy regarding his murder and where commitments were made to bring “absconder” Nawaz Sharif to power as quid pro quo for agreeing to one appointment.
The last general election was held in July 2018 and the term of Pakistan’s current National Assembly is till October 2023.
PTI