PM decries Imran Khan’s ‘diatribe’ against parliamentary democracy

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has criticised the recent ‘diatribe’ of former premier and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan against parliamentary democracy, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Taking to Twitter, the prime minister wrote: “Imran Khan’s recent diatribe against parliamentary democracy was the latest in a series of attacks that flew in the face of how democracy functioned in modern nation-states”.

“His [Imran] politics is aimed at making his way to power even if it means undermining foundations this country stands on,” PM Shehbaz added.

Imran’s recent diatribe against parliamentary democracy is the latest in a series of attacks that fly in the face of how democracy functions in modern nation-states. His politics is aimed at making his way to power even if it means undermining foundations this country stands on.

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) December 4, 2022

A day earlier, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan invited the ruling coalition to hold talks over date of general elections, noting that his party would only wait till March.

Speaking to a private news channel, the former premier said that if the incumbent government is ready to hold elections by the end of March, he would not dissolve Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies.

However, he said, his party won’t agree on a date after March and assemblies will be dissolved this month [December] if the government disagrees.

“We are ready to hold negotiations over date of general elections,” the former prime minister said, citing the devastating economic situation as the reason behind PTI’s constant demand.

Imran Khan warned that he would dissolve Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies if the government refuses to hold elections in March.

Speaking of the dissolution of assemblies, the PTI Chairman noted that Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Pervaiz Elahi had vowed to follow his orders. “Pervaiz Elahi has given me the full authority to dissolve the assembly whenever I want,” he added.