Following Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan's announcement of his decision to dissolve the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provincial assemblies, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has said that general elections may face a six-month delay.
Rana Sanaullah made these comments while speaking to a private news channel on Sunday, and claimed that PTI chief Imran Khan had made the announcement of dissolution of provincial assemblies in frustration.
Reacting to a comment made by Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi claiming that he would dissolve the Punjab Assembly 'in a wink' if given the call by Imran Khan, Sanaullah said that the federal government knew of way to halt Elahi. "We know how to block Mr Elahi from using his chief minister’s powers to dissolve the assembly," he said.
Sanaullah, who had previously said that the National Assembly be dissolved if the provincial assemblies were as well, seemingly went back on his earlier statement and said that the federal government would require at least four to six months to 'provide relief' to the public. "After six months, we will be in a position to win elections in Punjab," he said, claiming that general elections could experience a delay of six months.
The Interior Minister also warned that if PTI withdrew from the Punjab assembly, it could face a fate similar to that faced by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) which was unable to enter Punjab after a prior boycott.
Rana Sanaullah made these comments while speaking to a private news channel on Sunday, and claimed that PTI chief Imran Khan had made the announcement of dissolution of provincial assemblies in frustration.
Reacting to a comment made by Punjab Chief Minister Parvez Elahi claiming that he would dissolve the Punjab Assembly 'in a wink' if given the call by Imran Khan, Sanaullah said that the federal government knew of way to halt Elahi. "We know how to block Mr Elahi from using his chief minister’s powers to dissolve the assembly," he said.
Sanaullah, who had previously said that the National Assembly be dissolved if the provincial assemblies were as well, seemingly went back on his earlier statement and said that the federal government would require at least four to six months to 'provide relief' to the public. "After six months, we will be in a position to win elections in Punjab," he said, claiming that general elections could experience a delay of six months.
The Interior Minister also warned that if PTI withdrew from the Punjab assembly, it could face a fate similar to that faced by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) which was unable to enter Punjab after a prior boycott.