Pakistan's embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan said that he was "astonished" by the reaction of joint opposition including Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leadership over his decision to call early elections, The Express Tribune reported.
"Astonished by the reaction of PDM to our calling for general elections. They have been crying hoarse about how our govt has failed & lost support of the people," he wrote on his official Twitter handle.
His statement comes as opposition cried foul after the government dissolved assemblies and called early elections as no-confidence motion to oust the Prime Minister was dismissed by the National Assembly Deputy Speaker.
"So why the fear of elections now? Democrats go to the people for support," the premier added.
In a follow-up tweet, he asked the opposition parties to accept of his decision of snap elections "rather than being part of a foreign conspiracy for regime change; and indulging in blatant purchasing of loyalties thereby destroying our nation's moral fibre?".
Responding to Khan's statement, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said: "Your coup attempt will not succeed. Early elections was our demand not yours. No confidence, electoral reforms, early free and fair elections is our long stated goal."
--IANS
san/ksk/
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
)