Source: The News

By Mumtaz Alvi

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf Imran Khan has asked the opposition parties not to take part in the elections being held under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO), saying if they did, it would amount to treason with the masses.

Speaking at a news conference at the party’s central secretariat, on Monday, Imran tore apart copies of the nomination papers, saying he could not be part of a fraud election. I cannot thump desks again in parliament for the entire four years, he said.

Imran Khan hoped that Nawaz Sharif, with whom he had talked earlier in the day about the current political situation, would also announce boycott of the elections. “If the politicians don’t take a joint stand now by boycotting the upcoming elections, their conduct will be tantamount to a treason with the masses,” he emphatically declared.

Imran applauded the pre-Nov 3 judiciary for taking a principled stand and for delivering justice for the first time in 60 years. He was all praise for the lawyers, the media persons and civil society for siding with the judges, who had refused to take oath under the PCO.

The PTI leader asked the All Parties Democratic Movement component parties to stay away from what he called the “trap of elections”, as their participation would legitimise the illegal and unconstitutional actions of General Musharraf. Imran brushed aside the PPP decision of taking part in the elections under the pretext of “not leaving the field open for the PML,” saying they had reaped the benefits of elections’ boycott in 1985.

“After just three years, they were in a position to form government,” he recalled. Substantiating his viewpoint on the boycott of elections, Imran contended that it was time for the politicians to bury the “doctrine of necessity” once for all. The PTI leader said he foresaw no chances of judiciary being revived to its pre-November 3 status. He expressed disappointment at the APDM leaders’ filing of nomination papers despite a boycott threat. At a meeting the other day, the APDM had announced boycott of the elections, giving President General Musharraf four days to restore the judiciary’s position to the pre-emergency level.

Online adds: Imran Khan expressing his full confidence in Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said that he would not take part in election. He said that Nawaz Sharif would not take part in election. Imran said three senior PML-N central leaders had assured during the APDM meeting that he would not become part of the ‘illegal’ election.

Imran Khan said All Parties Democratic Alliance has set deadline of November 29 for the lifting of emergency and reinstatement of judges, otherwise they would boycott the general elections.

He further said that if judiciary gets independent, then the present election would lose its credibility. And the government would have to issue new election schedule. Similarly, he said, if a party tried to take part in election under the Provincial Constitution Order then it would be betrayal to judiciary and masses.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan visited PIMS to inquire about the health of the former president of Supreme Court Bar Association and a prominent leader of the lawyers’ movement, Munir A Malik at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). PTI chief along with Federal Minister for Human Rights Ansar Burney enquired about his health. He remained with him for sometime and prayed for his early recovery. Malik has been shifted to the ICU after his condition deteriorated over the weekend.

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Tags: APDM, boycott, Elections, Imran Khan