Plea against dissolution of Punjab Assembly moved in LHC

• Petition takes stand against dissolution on Imran Khan's behest.
• It states Khan wants to dissolve assemblies for his "own interests".
• PTI chief, CM Elahi, KP CM, Punjab governor and CEC party in plea.

A petition was filed in the Lahore High Court Monday seeking a stay on the possible dissolution of the Punjab assembly.

In the petition, filed by a citizen from Toba Tek Singh, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Punjab Chief Minister Chaurdhry Parvez Elahi, the province’s Governor Muhammad Balighur Rehman and Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja have been added as party through the principle secretary.

The petition takes a position against the dissolution of the provincial assembly at the behest of Khan deeming it an unconstitutional and illegal action.

It stated that the PTI chief wants to dissolve the assembly for his own interests. Additionally, the petition also requested the court to issue orders and avert the possible dissolution.

Two days earlier, Imran Khan — in an address to the party's workers and supporters — announced that the dissolution of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies will be done on December 23 (Friday).

Before Khan issued the date, there were reports about CM Elahi not backing the PTI chief's decision, but the chief minister refuted the rumours and vowed that he would back "all of Imran Khan's decisions".

Flanked by CM Elahi and KP CM Mahmood Khan, Imran Khan thanked them both for "sacrificing" their respective governments for the "betterment of the country" and announced that his party would now be starting its election campaign.

Reacting to the former prime minister's decision, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah saithat the party would take a "U-turn on the matter within a week".

"[People] will see how a U-turn will come within a week," the interior minister said downplaying the PTI chief's announcement.