Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and other party leaders have expressed serious concerns over the talks about bringing in a ‘technocrat’ government in the country, clearly mentioning that PTI will not accept an extended caretaker setup.
Talking to a delegation of newly elected office-bearers of the Lahore Press Club, the former prime minister urged the forces behind the government to agree to fresh election in the country.
“I do not see fresh elections in the near future,” said the PTI chair, adding that “it is necessary for the ‘people’ sitting behind the government to agree for the fresh election.”
If any ‘political engineering’ was involved in the upcoming general elections, the results would not be suitable for the country, warned Khan. Citing the example of East Pakistan, Khan said the mandate of the largest party was not recognized then and the same is happening now. Imran Khan also denied any contact with the ‘establishment’.
PTI will resist technocrat government, Fawad Chaudhry
PTI Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry also expressed a similar fear saying his party will resist the move of forming a technocrat government.
The idea of replacing the government with a technocratic set-up was ‘foolish’, said Fawad in his tweet.
“Such schemes were being designed at the cost of the country’s interests just to stop Imran Khan from regaining power,” he added.
ECP must fulfill its constitutional responsibility, says Asad Umar
PTI’s secretary-general and former PM’s aide Asad Umar also maintained that PTI will categorically reject any interim government setup that is formed for an extended time period in the country.
“There is no room in the constitution for any extended caretaker setup,” Asad Umar told Arab News. “PTI cannot [accept the extended interim government] as a political party which believes in democracy and constitution. It cannot support any step which is inconsistent with the constitution,” he added.
Asad Umar said Imran Khan and his party had not been consulted on the matter, emphasizing that the ECP must fulfill its constitutional responsibility of holding elections within 90 days.
What happens when assemblies are dissolved?
As per the constitution of Pakistan
- Once the national assembly and the provincial assemblies are dissolved, the caretaker prime minister and chief ministers are appointed.
- If the assemblies are dissolved after the term of the assemblies has expired, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is bound to conduct polls within 60 days after the dissolution of the assemblies.
- If the assemblies are dissolved before their term ends, then the ECP must conduct the polls within 90 days.
- The ECP is also bound to announce the results no later than 14 days after the polls have concluded.