Senior Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry on Tuesday warned the interim setups that they will pursue sedition cases against them under Article 6 if the constitution is violated, urging governors and caretaker chief ministers of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) to announce election dates immediately.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore along with other PTI leaders, Fawad said that those in power today must not take unconstitutional steps.
Speaking on the choice of Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi as CM Punjab, Fawad claimed that the caretaker arrangement had been a “witch hunt” from the very beginning.
“A caretaker chief minister swears to maintain objectivity. His oath and the Constitution are violated by any act of prejudice,” he said that individuals who disobey the law will be prosecuted under Article 6.
Fawad said the people of Punjab had rejected the caretaker setup, referring to today’s protests against the ECP’s decision.
“As per the constitution, a caretaker chief minister must be impartial and non-controversial. Naqvi lakes both traits,” he said, adding that the party would move the court and submit proof of Naqvi’s ‘biasedness and partiality’.
He claimed that the PTI had asked the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) not to nominate personnel who had participated in the violence against the party on May 25.
The national elections were the only way out, according to Fawad, who said that the country was on the verge of an “economic disaster.”
“All the chaos started after the top court rejected former Speaker Asad Qaiser’s order of dissolution of assembly,” Fawad said “and allowed the corrupt mafia to run the country.” He pleaded with the Supreme Court to intercede for early elections before more havoc was wreaked.