Pressure tactics Imran to contest by-polls for 33 NA seats.

LAHORE -- In an unprecedented move, the PTI on Sunday decided that its chairman Imran Khan will be the candidate against all the 33 National Assembly seats which have fallen vacant after the resignations of its party legislators. Before this, Imran had contested by-elections on seven National Assembly seats last year and emerged victorious with a great margin. A decision to this effect was made at a meeting of the party's core committee chaired by PTI chairman Imran Khan at his residence here. It was also attended by the parliamentary party and the party's central leaders.

In the meeting, it was decided that the PTI will participate in the coming by-elections to be held on 33 National Assembly seats vacated by the party members. It was also decided that Imran Khan will be the candidate from all the national assembly seats. Talking to the media after the meeting, Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the overall political and economic situation of the country was discussed in the core committee meeting. He was accompanied by Secretary General Asad Umar, Central Information Secretary Farrukh Habib and Fawad Chaudhry's wife.

He told the media that in the meeting serious concerns were expressed over the violation of basic human rights of the PTI leaders. He further stated that it had been decided in the meeting that the PTI would participate in the by-elections on the seats that became vacant after the resignations of Tehreek-e-Insaf members. He added that Chairman Imran Khan will be the party candidate against all the vacant seats. He also briefed the media of four resolutions passed by the meeting.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the first resolution strongly condemned the registration of a fake case of abduction and sedition against Fawad Chaudhry and expressed grave concern over his physical remand and treatment like a terrorist. 'This is a clear violation of Article 14 of the Constitution and justice. It is tantamount to mass murder, there is no precedent of physical remand being given three times in a single case, Tehreek-e-Insaf requests the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take immediate notice of this flagrant violation', said the resolution read out by Shah Mahmood Qureshi. He also read out another resolution drawing the judiciary's attention towards holding of elections within 90 days after dissolution of the assemblies.

'The central leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Core Committee, Parliamentary Party) wants to draw the...