SWABI: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNA and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser has demanded of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to tender his resignation and announce fresh elections in the country after the ‘historic’ Supreme Court verdict in the reserved seats case.

Addressing party workers here on Sunday, he also demanded resignation of the chief election commissioner for conducting ‘fraudulent’ elections. “The chief election commissioner conducted the worst elections in Pakistan’s history, and is responsible for instability in this country, so he must resign,” he stressed, adding there should be fresh elections in the country, and the mandate of the people should be accepted.

The former speaker said now it was the right of PTI to form the government at the centre. “It seems that the present federal government is a guest for a few months and there is no reason for them to stay in the government anymore,” he argued. He said: “After the apex court verdict, PTI has emerged as the largest political party in the parliament. The fake government has launched campaign against us. Our mandate was stolen from us and our leaders were put in jail for no reason,” he said.

“PTI leaders have spoken with Jamaat-i-Islami leaders and Maulana Fazlur Rahman, the chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, and are also contacting the like-minded parties to form the government to run this country according to the law and Constitution,” he said.

Mr Qaiser asserted that the budget 2024-25 was the International Monetary Fund-mandated, and was laden with excessive taxation, making life difficult for the common man.

“It has become very difficult for the common man to pay the utility bills, live with dignity and honour,” he said.

Mr Qaiser said PTI MNA Ameer Sultan from Jhang had been abducted last night, which showed that the government was in confrontational mood after the apex court decision, and was targeting the parliamentarians of their party.

He said PTI parliamentarians faced tremendous pressure to change loyalties and say adieu to PTI, but they didn’t budge.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2024