Nawaz Sharif says will not allow any delay in next elections

LAHORE: Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif on Friday vowed that the next elections will be held on time, and they will not allow even any delay.  

Addressing a gathering of party wrkers in Model Town area, the former premier lashed out at the unholy pact between the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

“This individual who has just joined politics has done nothing except for lies, sit-ins, hypocrisy and mud-slinging. It this wasn’t done then KP would be speaking of its development, instead it is bowing its head in shame,” he said taking a direct jibe at PTI chairman Imran Khan.

He said that political parties were at war with the PML-N, depriving it of the rightful share in the Senate elections, and bringing a little-known individual as the chairman of the esteemed Upper House.

“There is a mockery of an esteemed institution of the Senate. What kind of forces made this happen? An individual who was unknown even in the neighbourhood, a political non-entity, was made the chairman,” he said.

He said that PML-N has held successful rallies in several parts of Khyber Pakthunkhwa, such as Mardan and Hazara, and will also be successful from the province in the next elections.

Decrying that there was massive horse-trading in the Senate elections, he said that Imran Khan despite having known that his party members had sold off their votes, made a pact with the PPP.

“Imran called Zardari was the biggest disease. But still he joined him on the same platform during a rally in Lahore,” he said adding that it was hypocritical of the PTI chairman.

He said that Imran Khan cancelled his tour of inner Lahore after witnessing that there was no one to welcome him.

Instead Imran Khan dashed off to Islamabad claiming a ‘big wicket’ was about to fall, and ultimately Khawaja Asif was disqualified a few days afterwards. “Who told Imran Khan that a big wicket was about to fall?” he asked.

“We are not competing with Zardari, nor is our competition against Imran. Instead we are competing with someone else,” he stated.

Nawaz Sharif said that Imran Khan was trying to stay away from the ballot box by stating that elections will be delayed. “There are speaking about postponing the elections by a few months. Let alone one day, we will also not allow any delay for even a single moment,” he vowed.