As the date for holding the elections is sought, Home Minister Rana Sanaullah has stressed that the general elections should be held simultaneously across the country.
Addressing the workers’ convention of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) in Rawalpindi on Sunday, the security czar said that his party is fully prepared for the elections. He further said that he is not afraid of the election.
Sanaullah’s remarks came after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) apologized for consulting with President Arif Alvi regarding the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying that the matter is already under judicial consideration.
It may be mentioned here that the President had on Friday summoned the Election Commissioner for an “urgent meeting” on Monday (yesterday) to consult on the date of polling, in which the ECP’s decision regarding the date of general elections. He was criticized for his “strong style”. .
A day earlier, the Home Minister also reprimanded the President asking him to respect his constitutional stature as he has nothing to do with the election date.
In a fresh attack on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan over his “Jeel Bharu Tehreek” (movement for judicial arrest), Sanaullah said the government’s response would be “much more than what he imagined.”
According to the interior minister, Khan’s agenda is to push the country towards chaos and anarchy.
“Khan launched a judicial arrest campaign but on the other hand he hid in a bunker,” the interior minister quipped at the PTI leader who resides at his Zaman Park House in Lahore.
He also said that political workers will not be kept in jails. Only those who wanted to spread disorder and chaos in the country would be imprisoned.
The federal minister added that the ousted prime minister, who was removed from power by a no-confidence vote in April last year, wanted to destabilize the country.
He expressed his resolve that no opportunity would be given to Khan Sahib to spread chaos and anarchy in the country.
Referring to the Jail Bharu movement, the Home Minister said that only the Imrani gang who harmed the country would be sent to jail.
Turning his guns again at President Arif Alvi, Sanaullah said he refused to pass the “money budget” ordinance so that the government could not reach an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Following the President’s advice, the coalition government on February 15 presented the Finance (Supplementary) Bill 2023 or “Money Budget” in the National Assembly and the Senate as the government met conditions for opening a $1.1 billion IMF loan tranche. tried to.
Through the “mini-budget”, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led government aims to generate Rs55 billion of the Rs170 billion – to meet conditions set by the Washington-based lender.
Need for unity before elections
Speaking on the occasion, PML-N leader and former senior vice-president Shahid Khaqan Abbasi stressed on unity before the elections to the national and provincial assemblies.
National and provincial assembly elections are near. We should unite earlier and mobilize workers and voters,” the former prime minister said while addressing the party’s organizational convention.
Khaqan added that the party must decide to ensure hard work and provide “right candidates” in the constituencies.
The PML-N leader expressed hope for his party’s victory in Rawalpindi “if the elections are held freely”.
Be it national or provincial elections, PML-N will win. Apart from rigging, the party has never lost in Rawalpindi.
He also vowed to take the disappointed members of the party along.
