The opposition requests the CM’s view on PTI’s proposed assembly dissolution.

Mohammad Akram Khan Durrani, the head of the opposition in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, demanded Tuesday that Chief Minister Mahmood Khan clarify his stance on the Pakistan Tehreek-i-  Insaf’s intentions to dissolve the assembly. He insisted that the province’s economic and security conditions are deteriorating due to political uncertainty.

The opposition leader addressed the house as it convened here with Deputy Speaker Mahmood Jan presiding. “If you (chief minister) are genuine about dissolving the [provincial] parliament, then do it before tomorrow,” the opposition leader urged.

On a point of order, Mr. Durrani stated that the opposition parties would assist the province administration in pursuing payments from their central government provided the chief minister did not intend to dismiss the assembly.

“If the chief minister informs us [opposition] after consulting his leader Imran Khan that the provincial assembly won’t be dissolved, I will go straight to the prime minister’s office to demand the rights of the province,” he said.

The opposition leader said voters asked lawmakers in the lighter vein about when to quit the assembly, so the PTI shouldn’t turn the house into a ‘joke’.

Durrani says if house stays intact, opposition will help province claim dues from centre

It’s the residence of honourable individuals who are governed by millions of people, he declared.

Mr. Durrani claimed that while the chief minister initially laid the burden for the province’s economic problems on the federal government, he then threatened to dissolve the provincial legislature.

He claimed that the “dilemma” prevented the federal government and investors from providing the necessary assistance.

The opposition leader claimed that because Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s administration had categorically stated that general elections would be held following the conclusion of its constitutional term in office, the PTI was unable to exert pressure on the federal government by dissolving the KP and Punjab assemblies.

Speaking about the financial mismanagement and incompetence of CM Mahmood Khan’s administration, he said that when he led the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government in the province as the chief minister, the province’s debts totaled Rs16 billion, which increased to Rs87 billion during the ANP government, and Rs791 billion in the nine years of the PTI rule.

According to Mr. Durrani, the province’s law-and-order situation is getting worse. He claimed that the rising robbery rate made people afraid to leave their homes after 8 o’clock.

According to the opposition leader, phone calls demanding extortion payments were made to ministers and MPs, and if they didn’t comply, shrouds were brought to their houses along with notes threatening them with death.

Mr. Durrani urged the authorities to refrain from instilling fear among the populace. Treasury MPA Asif Khan urged the government to punish SHO of the Khazana police station Ijaz Khan for pointing a gun at him and MPA Arbab Jandad inside the police station in front of dozens of people through a privilege motion. He claimed that when he and the other lawmaker went to the police station to find out why a local nazim had been detained, the SHO misbehaved.

The issue was referred by the house for debate and advice from the concerned standing committee. Due to a lack of quorum, the chair later called the meeting to adjourn until Friday without discussing numerous items on the agenda.

He claimed that the administration wouldn’t be held accountable if criminals assaulted them because the deputy commissioner of the Lakki Marwat district had instructed representatives of the education and health departments to provide for their protection on their own.