Rulers 'running away' from snap elections, Imran Khan says

Islamabad: Coalition rulers were running away from snap elections as they were afraid of losing, former prime minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan said on Tuesday.

"I have already given the government some time to take a decision on announcing the date for the general elections, otherwise, I will move towards Islamabad and the march will not be delayed beyond October," he said while talking to the delegations of the National Press Club and Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ).

Khan said the government was trying its best to disqualify him, hence, cases were lodged against him.

Mentioning that the march was crucial for "haqeeqi azadi (real freedom)", the PTI chairman reiterated that it will be held this month at all costs.

عمران ٹائیگرز کی چیئرمین تحریک انصاف سے ملاقات۔ حقیقی آزادی کی تحریک کے حتمی مرحلے کی تیاریوں سمیت اہم امور پر تفصیلی تبادلۂ خیال۔ چیئرمین تحریک انصاف کی جانب سے عمران ٹائیگرز کو تحریک کی تیاریوں کے مختلف پہلوؤں پر خصوصی ہدایات۔ pic.twitter.com/312qZ37eXs

— PTI (@PTIofficial) October 18, 2022

Despite the former prime minister's repeated warnings, the federal government reprimanded Khan and warned him against marching to the capital.

Talking about his days in power, Khan said that his government was "weak". "I would never accept such a setup in the future. There was a lot of pressure on me.”

Recalling his achievements, the PTI chairman said the country’s growth rate rose to 6% due to their effective measures when their government was toppled.

But he lamented that the ruling alliance "bankrupted" the country in just six months. PM Shehbaz Sharif "stole" Rs16 billion but he was acquitted after coming into power, he added.

The PTI leader was referring to the acquittal of the prime minister and his son, Hamza Shah in a Rs16 billion sugar scam case by a special court in Lahore earlier this month.

"In Pakistan, powerful mafias of sugar, oil and builder have captured the entire system," he said.