Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has given the Shehbaz Sharif government a December 20 deadline to announce early elections as he threatened to dissolve two regional legislative assemblies if officials don’t follow through. Senior leader of Imran Khan’s party, Tehreek-e-Insaf, Fawad Chaudhry shared the deadline in a Twitter post.
Earlier this month Imran Khan had also offered to speak with the government to discuss his demand for snap elections, a request that has largely gone unanswered.
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Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, whose government came to power after removing Imran Khan in a parliamentary vote of no confidence in April, has rejected any calls for pushing ahead national elections. Shehbaz Sharif government’s term ends in August next year while Imran Khan's party has a majority in two of the four provincial assemblies in Pakistan.
Dissolving them will trigger fresh local polls, usually conducted alongside general elections in Pakistan.
Imran Khan’s strategy to dissolve state legislatures is his latest attempt demand a fresh national ballot.
“They’re delaying elections just because they are fearful of defeat. We’ll win whenever they’re held," Imran Khan had earlier said.
{{/usCountry}}“They’re delaying elections just because they are fearful of defeat. We’ll win whenever they’re held," Imran Khan had earlier said.
{{/usCountry}}This comes as Pakistan faces forex shortages and an economic crisis worsened by devastating floods earlier this year. The uncertainty has lead to delays in its bailout program with the International Monetary Fund.