As the country’s election date remains under debate, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Sunday asserted that the Punjab Assembly polls will not be held on May 14 despite “all efforts” by the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf. (PTI)
Talking to the media in Faisalabad, he said that this year the elections across the country will be held on time.
Despite the Supreme Court’s order to hold elections in Punjab on May 14, as well as pressure from the former ruling party led by Imran Khan, the security czar said the elections “will be held simultaneously” under the caretaker setup. If elections are not held in May, October is not far away.
The PTI had dissolved the assemblies of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on January 14 and 18 respectively to force the ruling alliance to hold early general elections.
Describing former Prime Minister Imran Khan as ‘fitnah’ (chaos), Sanaullah said that he was brought to power through a ‘conspiracy’. “Their [PTI’s] four-year policies created a crisis situation for the country.”
Sanaullah said that Khan used to claim that he would rather die by suicide than approach the International Monetary Fund (IMF). “It was [Imran Khan’s] government that made the deal with the IMF, not us. The difficulties are only because of the previous government’s deal.”
The current government, led by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), has taken austerity measures, including raising taxes and energy prices, and allowing its currency to refinance a $6.5 billion IMF loan package. The funds will provide some relief to a nation still reeling from a dollar shortage that has raised the prospect of the economy slipping into recession ahead of elections this year.
The federal minister said that load-shedding and terrorism had been eradicated during the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) regime, adding that the country was facing multiple crises due to PTI’s “wrong” policies. is facing
He also questioned what happened to Khan’s claim of creating 10 million jobs in his advertisement to build 5 million houses. “Where are the jobs? We don’t see any houses. Tell me one thing, what did the people who were in power for the last four years do?”
Sanaullah further said that the condition of the common man will improve soon and the country will develop.
Nawaz Sharif will supervise the election campaign
The senior PML-N leader also said that party supremo Nawaz Sharif will reach the country as soon as the election preparations begin, adding that he will oversee the party’s election campaign.
He said that Muslim League-N has always brought the country out of crises.
