PTI fears PML-N might try to escape polls with ECP's help, Fawad

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice President Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday expressed fear that the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) might try to avoid polls with the help of its "subsidiary" Election Commission (ECP).

He said that he hopes PML-N will not use the electoral body ECP to escape polls.

"Hope that PML-N would not use its subsidiary, ECP, to run away from elections. [We] fear that the PML-N might try to escape the people's court with the help of its partner”, Fawad wrote on Twitter.

The former information minister said that in a democratic country, it is the people who have the ultimate authority to make decisions, and the PDM government should acknowledge the people’s rights.

Imran announces KP, Punjab assembly dissolution

In a major development on Saturday, Chairman PTI Imran Khan announced the dissolution of the assemblies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on December 23 (Friday).

The PTI chief's announcement — who was flanked by Chief Minister Punjab Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and CM Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan — came during his address to the party's workers and supporters via video link from his residence in Lahore's Zaman Park.

In his address, Imran thanked both chief ministers for "sacrificing" their respective governments for the "betterment of the country" and announced that his party would now be starting its election campaign.

He also warned the government against employing tactics to delay the elections and said: "I have also spoken to my lawyers [...] it would be against the rules to delay the polls past 90 days."

“The Constitution of Pakistan directs that the ECP should always be ready to conduct elections in 90 days. I know that it will try its best to not do so,” he said.

In response, Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira reiterated that the government's stance still stands — elections for assemblies that will be dissolved and by-polls on the constituencies that are vacated.

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.

Before Imran issued the date, there were reports about CM Elahi not backing the PTI chief's decision, but the chief minister refuted the rumours and vowed that he would back "all of Imran Khan's decisions".