Ex-Pak PM Imran Khan challenges Shehbaz Sharif govt to win next elections

PTI chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan challenged the incumbent coalition government of Shehbaz Sharif to win the next elections in Pakistan

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan on Sunday challenged the incumbent coalition government of Shehbaz Sharif to win the next elections in Pakistan.

Khan said that it was "impossible for the incumbent coalition government to win the next election," reported Geo News.

He said that it would also be very difficult for the current government to run an electioneering campaign as PTI is working in full swing for the next polls.

Speaking to a private TV news channel, Khan also talked about his ill-fated "Azadi March" held on May 25, which was called off after a strong curb down by the Shehbaz Sharif government.

Khan said that the government registered first information reports (FIRs) against members of the PTI following the party's "Azadi March" to Islamabad last month so that it could "throw anyone it wanted behind bars," reported Geo News.

The former prime minister also criticized the Shahbaz Sharif-led government for passing the National Accountability (Amendment) Bill, 2022 on June 9, which had previously been returned by President Arif Alvi.

Commenting on the development, Khan said that the PTI will "approach the Supreme Court soon".

Regarding the overall political situation of the country, the PTI chairman said that the entire nation was "looking towards the institutions to intervene and make things right," reported Dawn.

Answering a question about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Khan said that the projects "had to be halted because of the coronavirus pandemic."

Meanwhile, China has asked Pakistan's Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to stop attacks on its nationals who are working on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects in the Balochistan region.

The Chinese demand came in a meeting of senior officials of Pakistan and China who discussed their perspectives on the international and regional security situations, reported Frontier Post.

The developments come after the Islamabad Police recently decided to set up a foreign security cell at the Central Police Office (CPO) with requisite staff and logistics amid reports of Chinese nationals continuously being targeted in Pakistan.

In response to another question regarding Pakistan's relations with the US during PTI's tenure, Khan said that he enjoyed cordial ties with former US President Donald Trump, adding that Joe Biden's administration was "stuck in dealing with matters related to Afghanistan," reported Geo News.