Prime Minister Imran Khan says elections have been announced on the demand of the opposition parties.

Responding to telephone calls by Pakistanis, he said the opposition parties had been criticizing the performance of the government over the last three and a half years and now the question is why they have gone to the Supreme Court when their demand has been accepted and the assembly dissolved.

The Prime Minister said the opposition parties want government to abolish National Accountability Bureau and their corruption cases.

He said they want to manage polls by making changes at different levels including the bureaucracy.

Responding to a query, the Prime Minister said Pakistan cannot progress unless such people come to the parliament who think of the country.

He said his party will award tickets for the next elections after careful consideration and he will personally interview the candidates. Imran Khan said the politics of party defectors have ended.

Replying to a question, the Prime Minister said he is not anti-America, rather he wants cordial relations with all countries, including the United States, but these ties should be based on mutual respect, honour and dignity.

Source: Radio Pakistan