Following dissolution of the National Assembly, former interior minister Sheikh Rashid on Sunday expressed the desire to dissolve provincial assemblies of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab province.

Addressing a press conference, Rashid said that he wanted dissolution of provincial assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. “This is my desire but Prime Minister Imran Khan has yet not made any decision in this regard,” he said.

He also said that he held a brief meeting with the prime minister after deputy speaker National Assembly dismissed vote of no-confidence tabled by the opposition but he did not talk regarding his wish about dissolution of provincial assemblies.

Rashid said that he had already urged for holding of early elections after Hajj and now it will be held after Hajj.

Earlier, opposition leaders, Shehbaz Sharif and Maulana Fazlur Rehman were demanding early elections in the country and now they are escaping from the election, he said.

He also said that when ‘responsible quarters’ mediated between government and opposition parties then except former president Asif Ali Zardari, no one had reservation regarding early elections. They had only reservations over timing of elections and now elections will be held within 90 days, he said.

The former interior minister said that as per the law Imran Khan will remain as the prime minister for 15 days more.

About Supreme Court suo motu notice of the political situation, he said we will accept whatever the apex court decides.

He further said that Imran Khan will win the next general elections with a two-third majority and the nation will get rid of these ‘money launderers and thieves’.

Rashid said that opposition has increased popularity of Imran Khan.

To a question, he said that over 20,000 security personnel including Rangers, police and FC have been deployed for 172 members on Sunday, so they could not make an excuse someone kidnapped the members.

Rashid said that 12 Indian channels are busy ‘mourning’ following dismissal of no-confidence mention as the Indian thought that ‘their buddies and business partners’ would come into power.

The story was originally published in Business Recorder on April 04, 2022.