'Why wait for another week, dissolve assemblies now': Govt tells Imran Khan

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Saturday claimed that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) would take a "U-turn" on its decision to dissolve the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies "within a week".

Sanaullah, speaking during Geo News programme “Naya Pakistan" said: "[People] will see how a U-turn will come within a week". 

Responding to a question, the interior minister said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has nothing to offer Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi now. He also accused CM Elahi of corruption.

His statements came after PTI Chairman Imran Khan announced that PTI would dissolve both Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies on December 23.

Talking about PML-N’s strategy to counter the PTI’s move, the minister said that the parliamentary party decided to opt for the "constitutional option".

Sanaullah asked Imran to dissolve the assemblies immediately, saying that there is no need to wait for December 23.

For his part, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira said that they would not take any unconstitutional steps.

Raising questions over the one-week timeline for dissolution of the assemblies, the special assistant to the prime minister said it seems they wanted "face-saving".

Imran will realise his mistake when he loses the provincial assemblies, Kaira added.

“Elahi has no option but to form an alliance with PTI,” he said, adding that the CM Punjab is a seasoned player and hoped that he will try to convince Imran no matter what the solution.

'Khan whining to hide his corruption'

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb — addressing a press conference in the federal capital — said: “If the former chief of army staff General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa gave NROs, then why did you [Imran Khan] offer him an extension.”

“If Gen (retd) Bajwa was not allowing you to work, you should have dissolved the assemblies at that time,” she said, adding that Khan is grumbling as he seeks to get an NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) himself.

Calling the PTI chief a “mental patient”, Aurangzeb said that Khan’s kitchen runs from the income earned from these two assemblies.

The information minister said that Imran knew he would be held accountable if he is ousted from power, adding that he is “whining only to hide his corruption.”

In response, PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry explained why had the party chief decided to extend the dissolution of assemblies by almost a week.

"A six-day break has been taken as during this time, we have to process the resignations of the National Assemblies," the former information minister tweeted.