Imran Khan Warns Against Delaying Elections After Budget: Will the Ruling Parties Heed His Warning?

The Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, has issued a warning to the coalition rulers and their “handlers,” stating that his party and the people would hold street protests if they attempted to delay the elections following the budget. Speaking at a rally in Lahore, Khan stated that if the rulers defied the Supreme Court’s orders to hold elections on May 14th, there would be chaos in the country. The PTI would stage street demonstrations until the Constitution and the rule of law were restored.

Khan said that his party stands with the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Constitution, and they have held peaceful public gatherings and political rallies until now. However, the next week would be decisive, and they would hold talks with the ruling parties on Tuesday, with a one-point agenda of dissolving the assemblies before May 14th to hold same-day elections. If the rulers refuse to dissolve the assemblies and try to delay the elections until after the budget, the PTI would approach the Supreme Court to demand elections on May 14th in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Khan accused the rulers of using all tactics to delay the polls until the PTI and he are weakened, thus creating grounds for their victory. He expressed doubts about the rulers’ intention to hold elections and accused them of using foul tactics, including harassment and arrests of PTI leaders and workers, assassination attempts on him, and maligning him with false cases, to weaken the party and remove him from the political scene.

Khan warned that breaching the Constitution would further deteriorate the economy and exacerbate the already unprecedented inflation in the country. He noted that stabilizing the political situation is essential for the chances of foreign investments in the country.

Imran Khan warned that the PTI and the people would hold street protests if the ruling parties attempted to delay the elections after the budget. He accused them of using foul tactics to weaken the PTI and remove him from the political scene. If the Constitution was breached, the economy would further deteriorate, and foreign investment would be unlikely. The question remains: will the ruling parties heed Khan’s warning and hold the elections as mandated by the Supreme Court?