LAHORE: Pakistan’s former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan on Sunday declared the caretaker government unconstitutional and called for a public rally to demand constitutional rights.
In a video address to PTI supporters, Khan announced that the party would organize a rally from Liberty Chowk to Nasir Bagh in Lahore to demand their constitutional right. He invited nationals to attend the rally, saying that PTI always cared for laborers and paid tribute to them on Labor Day.
Khan criticized the caretaker government for being unconstitutional, and reiterated his demand for the dissolution of national and provincial assemblies before May 14.
He said his party would be ready to move forward with negotiations on the date for holding general elections of Punjab Assembly if the government dissolves the National Assembly and provincial assemblies before May 14.
Khan stressed that the party does not want to delay the elections and will not accept polls after the budget.
During his address, Khan also slammed the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government for closing health insurance cards, and announced that education cards would be introduced alongside health insurance cards after PTI comes into power again.
He further said that he aims to convert Pakistan into a welfare state, and urged his supporters to stand beside the Supreme Court and the Constitution. He accused the incumbent rulers of having ill-intentions by delaying the election until after the budget.
Imran Khan to lead PTI rally in Lahore
Khan announced that he would lead the PTI rally in Lahore, while Asad Umar and Shah Mahmood Qureshi would lead a rally in Rawalpindi, and Pervaiz Khattak and other office bearers would lead a rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). He also announced rallies on May 1, Labor Day, in Islamabad, Lahore, and Peshawar.
The upcoming elections in Pakistan have been a contentious issue, with opposition alleging that the government is trying to rig the polls in its favor.
The PTI is one of the main opposition parties in the country, and Khan has been a vocal critic of the incumbent government. The rally and Khan’s declaration of the caretaker government as unconstitutional are likely to intensify the already charged political climate in the country.
