Imran Khan Dissolving Regional Assemblies to Push Pakistan Polls
- Ex-PM’s allies dissolving assemblies to show he can win big
- Government says it wants to focus on rebuilding the economy
Imran Khan
Photographer: Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images
This article is for subscribers only.
Allies of Pakistan’s former premier Imran Khan are moving to dissolve two of the four provincial assemblies in a bid to force Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to call for national elections well before November.
The assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces will be dissolved on Saturday to make way for local polls, said party officials from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. His party won at least 25 of 33 seats in by-elections held over the past six months, indicating strong support and a likely victory in Punjab as well as showing rivals his popularity, according to analysts.