Imran Khan says he won't personally attend talks with govt

Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Sunday that he would not sit in negotiations with the government, and if talks were to take place, members of his party would participate instead.

He made these remarks in an exclusive interview with Urdu News, a Saudi news agency, at his Zaman Park residence in Lahore.

Responding to a question regarding the offer of dialogues from the government, Imran said at the moment, holding elections within the constitutional limit of 90 days was the biggest issue.

“Things like Grand National Dialogue would come later. First, we should follow the law and the Constitution and hold elections within 90 days,” he said. “If you cannot hold elections, then what dialogue can you have with anyone? Currently, the country's biggest issue is the election.”

The PTI chief said if the 90 days pass without elections, this would be disrespectful and an insult to the Constitution. “If you are not abiding by the Constitution then what negotiations are left after this? The question at the moment is whether the elections will be held in 90 days or not.”

The former premier said that if the elections are not held in 90 days, then why in October? Then you will say why next year? Then the “powerful people” will decide [and not the Constitution] a time for elections which suits them the best.

Imran said the PDM alliance announced they would not accept Supreme Court’s verdict, which means that the Constitution and law have ended in Pakistan.

“This means that the law of the jungle has come into force and that you will choose which Supreme Court decision to accept and which one to boycott.

He said when the Parliament rejected the no-confidence motion against him and announced elections, the Supreme Court ruled against it, after which Shehbaz Sharif became Prime Minister, and his party accepted the decision.

“The Supreme Court was right for them then. But now that the same bench has taken a suo moto notice on election delay, the verdict of which is likely to go against the, they are creating a controversy. This is their history.”

He also said that Nawaz Sharif was involved in dividing the Supreme Court. He had done it before for his own interests in 1997, and he is doing it now.

Imran said the entire nation stands with the Constitution and will support the Supreme Court on its decisions.