Marriyum Aurangzeb reacts to Imran Khan’s prediction of snap polls

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s prediction of immediate elections, reiterating that the polls would be held on completion of the constitutional term of the coalition government, ARY News reported on Thursday.

“The election will not be held on mere predictions, rather it will be held on completion of the constitutional term of the coalition government,” Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a statement while reacting to Imran Khan’s remarks about the snap polls.

Responding to Imran Khan’s allegation regarding a deal between a political party and institution, the minister claimed that it was he who “wanted to seal a deal by offering a lifetime extension to former chief of army staff (COAS) Gen retd Bajwa.”

Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the masses continued to suffer the pain of inflation and unemployment even after the ouster of Imran Khan from power.

“Imran Khan pushed the country into an economic quagmire during his four-year misrule which was marred by corruption, bad governance and incompetency”, she added.

The information minister further said Imran Khan lost the trust of the masses as the historic debt was taken during his government’s tenure, as well as false promises of giving 10 million jobs and 5 million houses to the people, were also made.

Earlier in the day, Imran Khan predicted that the next general elections would be held in March or April 2023. He also announced that PTI lawmakers will go to national assembly to verify their resignations on Monday.

Moreover, the PTI Chairman claimed that the former army chief retired Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa thought PTI’s popularity will die down but it didn’t.

He said that Mr Bajwa had made a deal with PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. He also alleged that the Election Commission of Pakistan was controlled by the Establishment.