Khattak differs with Khan on disbanding KP Assembly: source

Senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Parvez Khattak has opposed the decision of party chairman, Imran Khan, to dissolve the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa tomorrow (Tuesday), sources told Geo News on Monday.

During a meeting of PTI leaders on Sunday, Khattak suggested that the KP Assembly should be disbanded after January 20. "If the house dissolved on Tuesday, the elections would be scheduled in Ramadan", sources quoted Khattak as saying.

The meeting of the PTI leaders was held yesterday regarding the dissolution of the KP Assembly during which the former prime minister addressed via video link, the sources said.

The sources further said that Khattak, explaining the reason for opposing the dissolution on Tuesday, stated that if it is disbanded on January 17, then the polls will be held in Ramadan due to which the voter turnout will remain low.

However, he said that if the legislature is dissolved after January 20, then the elections will be staged after Eid ul Fitr — as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) holds polls within 90 days after the assembly is disbanded.

Khattak suggested that the people would be able to come out of their homes and vote more conveniently, as during Ramadan, it would not be possible for the people to cast their votes due to fasting, the sources quoted him as saying.

In response to the concern expressed by the senior leader of PTI, Khan said that "if elections were to take place in Ramadan the turnout would still be good".

Other senior leaders of PTI from KP — Chief Minister Mehmood Khan and Shaukat Yousuf Zai — also maintained that the house should be disbanded after two or three days, said the sources.

The sources further remarked that "few of the ministers also showed their reservations regarding the dissolution of the KP Assembly".

The ministers, during the meeting, maintained that the election campaign in the upper areas during the winter would be difficult, according to sources.

It should be noted that earlier last week, the Punjab Awas successfully dissolved on the instructions of Khan. However, Chaudhry Parvez Elahi will be retaining the post of CM until the name for the caretaker chief minister is finalised.