PML-N no more reliable: Imran

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Tuesday said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was not a reliable party as Nawaz Sharif cheated the nation three times in the past. Addressing a press conference, Imran said that Nawaz also betrayed the PTI on several occasions and backed off from the All Parties Democratic Movement's stance not to contest general elections 2008. Bringing flexibility to his stance, he said the PTI would walk with the PML-N only if its members resigned from assemblies. Imran urged the government to announce general elections immediately. He also said only free and fair polls could bring the country out of the present crisis. He said the PTI did not consider Yousaf Raza Gilani as the prime minister after the Supreme Court convicted him in contempt of court case. Imran, however, acknowledged that Gilani had the right to appeal against the court's verdict, adding that the PTI would respond once all legal process was completed against the premier. "We will wait until the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) completes the process of Gilani's disqualification," Imran hinted. Flanked by Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Hamid Ali Khan and Javed Iqbal, the PTI chairman said the party would organise a march on May 6 in Islamabad to express solidarity with the SC, adding that a protest march would also be held if the premier failed in implementing the court's orders. Imran also asked the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to resign from assemblies to hold dialogue with his party for alliance against the PPP-led government. The party's doors were open only for those who were not sitting on treasury benches, he added. Imran announced that a three-member committee, consisting of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, President Javed Hashmi and Secretary-General Dr Arif Alvi, has been formed to hold talks with political parties regarding future course of action against the government. The PTI chairman said that the Pakistan People's Party was trying to destroy the SC in the name of democracy. "The drama is being created to hide corruption," he added. To a question, he said the party would launch Pakistan's largest protest against Gilani if he refused to accept his disqualification. Separately, the PTI decided to file a reference in the Supreme Court against Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani's eligibility, PTI sources said on Tuesday. The decision was taken during a meeting of the PTI Central Working Committee. Imran Khan chaired the meeting. On Monday, Nawaz Sharif while announcing his party's protest movement against the government said he was willing to join hands with the PTI and other opposition parties.