Pakistan and Imran can't go together, claims ANP.

PESHAWAR -- Demanding free and fair elections in the country, the Awami National Party (ANP) has said the 'premier's selectors' should realise that Pakistan and PM Imran Khan can't go together.

'No doubt, [PM] Imran was a good cricketer, but he is not a good ruler,' ANP senior vice-president Ameer Haider Khan Hoti told a rally held here on Saturday in connection with the death anniversaries of freedom-fighter Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and party founder Khan Abdul Wali Khan.

Criticising internal and external policies of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led federal government, the ANP leader said the 'selected prime minister' had borrowed record loans from international agencies but even despite that, the country's economy was in bad shape.

'Economy has been ruined,' he said.

Mr Hoti said a friendly country had impounded a plane of Pakistan's flag carrier on account of nonpayment, while European countries had placed a ban on PIA flights.

He also said high inflation had badly affected common man and business communities.

Party leader Hoti demands free, fair polls in country

The ANP leader said the country had lost its time-tested friends due to the immature policies of the sitting rulers.

He said Premier Imran Khan had admitted misappropriation in the PTI foreign funding by his agents.

'I tell [PM Imran's] selectors that his selection was wrong as he has badly failed to deliver,' he said, adding that only free and fair elections could steer the country out of the current political and economic crises.

He said the 'selectors' should save Pakistan and not PM Imran.

Expressing concern about the prevailing law and order situation in the country, especially forced disappearances and target killings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, Mr Hoti said his party would continue protesting the kidnappings and forced disappearances of Pakhtuns.

He said ANP information secretary Assad Khan had gone missing in Balochistan.

The ANP leader said the party would file a writ petition with the Balochistan High Court against the disappearance of its office-bearer and would use political platforms to ensure his safe recovery.

Paying rich tribute to the struggle of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Khan Abdul Wali Khan, he said Ghaffar Khan, popularly known as Bacha Khan, had started a struggle for the rights of oppressed Pakhtun nation around 100 years ago.

Mr Hoti said British rulers had deprived Pakhtuns of their fundamental...