Needs no permission to stage electoral campaign: Imran Khan
Pakistan
Govt resorts to delaying elections, claims Imran Khan
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Sunday that his party needed no permission to stage an electoral campaign.
Speaking to private television, Mr Khan lashed out at the government, saying, "The government resorted to the tactics of delaying the elections”. The deposed premier took a jibe at Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice president Maryam Nawaz, questioning, "Whether it will run as per the constitution or it will run at the will of Maryam Nawaz."
He lashed out at the political opponents, claiming, "They have now resorted to the tactics of rigging the elections."
Mr Khan lamented that Ms Nawaz was getting protocol during the electoral campaign.
“The government had made a plan to bring me to Balochistan after my arrest. We have our plan in case of my arrest,” added Mr Khan.
Speaking about the PML-N, Mr Khan claimed, "Maryam Nawaz is responsible for the PML-N’s fall, not me."
Earlier today, former prime minister Imran Khan announced to postpone till tomorrow the election rally earlier scheduled to be taken out from Zaman Park to Data Ganj Bakhsh Shrine on Sunday.
The announcement came after the interim Punjab government refused to withdraw Section 144 imposed in the provincial capital.
“It seems again that Section 144 has been imposed illegally solely on the PTI election campaign as all other public activities are ongoing in Lahore,” Khan said in a series of tweets.
Read also: PTI challenges clamping of Section 144 in Lahore in ECP before election rally
The former premier claimed that only Zaman Park had been surrounded by containers and a heavy police contingent.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 12, 2023
“Clearly, like March 8, Punjab CM and police want to provoke clashes to file more sham FIRs against the PTI leadership and workers and use it as a pretext for postponing elections.
“The rally could be held either tomorrow or day after tomorrow,” PTI leader Hammad Azhar said while addressing media in the provincial capital.
The decision comes after PTI challenged the Section 144 imposed by the Punjab government in Lahore in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) ahead of its election rally in the provincial capital.
PTI leader Babar Awan filed the plea in the ECP on the instructions of party Chairman Imran Khan.
The Punjab government Saturday night again announced imposing Section 144 (banning of large gatherings) in Lahore to avoid any "untoward incidents".
