‘Will Contest In Any Constituency Nawaz Chooses’: Imran Khan Challenges Sharif For Poll Faceoff — WATCH

Imran Khan has issued a challenge to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif, saying he will run against him in "whatever constituency" he chooses in the upcoming elections.

File Photos: Former Pakistani PM Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif

Source : Getty Images

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party chairman, Imran Khan, has issued a bold challenge to Nawaz Sharif, the supremo of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), offering to go head-to-head with him in "whatever constituency" of his choosing during the forthcoming elections. Khan's challenge was made public through a video posted on his official social media handle. It's worth noting that the video was recorded before the former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, was taken into custody and sent to Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi in early August on a corruption case.

In the video, Imran Khan said, "Nawaz Sharif was waiting to return to Pakistan once I am sent to jail and the PTI is eliminated. All the corruption cases against Nawaz and his associates have already been closed." Sharif had returned to Pakistan on October 21, following a self-imposed exile in London.

Take A Look At The Video Here: 

چیئرمین عمران خان پہلے ہی کئی مواقع پر قوم کو ”لندن پلان“ کی تفصیلات سے آگاہ کر چکے تھے۔ مفرور نوازشریف کی واپسی سے یہ منصوبہ اسی انداز میں رو بہ عمل ہے جس کی توقع کی گئی تھی۔

عدالت سےسزایافتہ ایک مجرم کی تالیف و سہولت کیلئے ریاستی پروٹوکول،سرکاری وسائل اور عوام کے ٹیکس کے پیسے… pic.twitter.com/hXe6LnCmB5

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) October 22, 2023

"Nawaz wanted a level playing field before heading into the polls. I will contest in any constituency Nawaz chooses. Moreover, I assure him that I will not even run a campaign in that constituency. I will tell you the feelings of the Pakistani people. This country has changed, as its citizens will never vote for such individuals. Social media has changed people's perspectives. Gone are the days when those who had the support of the military establishment were elected," Khan continued.

Imran Khan's party, through its social media post, alluded to a 'London Plan,' a topic Khan had previously discussed. They stated, "With absconder Nawaz Sharif’s return, the plan appears to be unfolding as anticipated. State protocol, public resources, and the use of public money to facilitate a convict can’t sway the public’s opinion. The public demands nothing less than immediate, free, and fair elections".

It is to be noted that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced that general elections are expected in the last week of January 2024, although a specific date has not been confirmed.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, has alleged that the ECP will only announce the election date after Nawaz Sharif receives a clean chit from the courts in the various cases against him. Both PPP and PTI have referred to Nawaz as the 'new ladla' (favourite) of the military establishment.

Imran Khan's party has claimed that Nawaz returned to Pakistan after four years of self-imposed exile due to the blessings of the military establishment, which has given him assurance of becoming the next Prime Minister. In contrast, Imran Khan himself is facing around 200 cases. Furthermore, two new parties, the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party and PTI-Parliamentarians, have emerged from Khan's party, with several of his former aides joining these new factions. They blame Khan for orchestrating attacks on military installations across the country in early May, following his arrest.

Following Nawaz Sharif's return, the Punjab provincial government suspended Nawaz's seven-year sentence in the Al-Azizia case, and two separate courts granted him bail in three separate corruption cases.