LAHORE: PTI Chairman Imran Khan said on Wednesday that people would take to the streets if the ruling alliance attempted to block the implementation of the court ruling that directed polls in Punjab on May 14.

The former prime minister was speaking during a televised address to mark Yaum-i-Tashakkur (gratitude day) celebrations following the top court’s judgement that directed for general elections in Punjab.

The speech was broadcasted from his Zaman Park residence through a satellite link on mega screens installed at 75 locations across the country, including in 13 cities of Punjab.

However, the main gathering of the event was held at the Liberty roundabout in Lahore where PTI supporters gathered despite the rain. They were holding party flags while some of them were wearing PTI-themed headbands and scarves.

Addressing his supporters, the former prime minister said, “The nation should wait for my call to ensure that the incumbent rulers could not run away from holding elections; otherwise, neither the history nor the future generations will pardon this generation for not waging jihad against the forces undermining the rule of law.”

He said “the Sicilian mafia” was now standing against the decision of the Supreme Court, which had earlier decided in their favour and overturned PTI’s decision to dissolve the National Assembly after opening courts at midnight.

The former premier said ‘absconder’ Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari were sitting in London and Dubai, respectively, and taking decisions about the fate of Pakistan. He said the incumbent rulers were also trying to divide the Supreme Court while also working to create a rift between the PTI and the establishment which “might repeat events of 1971”.

Asking what kind of economic and security stability can be ensured by October for holding elections, Mr Khan said that only elections would be the way out to take Pakistan out of the blind alley where it was fast heading. “I will complete interviews and selection of candidates in 10 days,” he said and added that the nation would not let the incumbent rulers run away from elections.

In an interview with Al Jazeera before the speech, the PTI chairman alleged the ruling PDM could violate the Constitution to prevent national elections due later this year. “They are just scared of the elections and are even willing to violate the Constitution,” Mr Khan claimed.

“By not accepting the SC’s verdict, the government would violate the Constitution”. In such a situation, he said, the SC could slap contempt of court on them.

Mr Khan disclosed he had held two meetings with former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa and wanted to work out how to hold elections. “What I didn’t realise was that he wanted an election provided he gets an extension in his tenure,” he said and added since then he had no conversation with the establishment.

Answering a question about his plans on restructuring the civil-military relationship if elected back to power, the PTI chairman said Pakistan needed to change. “The current civil and military imbalance has to change if we want Pakistan to get out of this mess,” he asserted.

“You cannot have a system where the prime minister has the responsibility but he does not have the authority to implement his policies because that authority is shared with the military,” the PTI chief observed.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2023