Shahid Khaqan Abbasi reiterates elections to be held on time

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has reiterated that the general elections in the country would be held on time, rejecting the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) demand, ARY News reported.

Speaking at ARY News programme ‘11th House’, the former premier said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) should demand early elections after returning to assembly, noting that snap polls were not a solution to any problem.

“The country cannot afford a caretaker government for three months,” he said, adding that former prime minister Imran Khan and his party wants intervention of institutions into politics.

“We also used to demand elections, but now Imran Khan was demanding snap polls because his government was overthrown,” he said, adding that this ‘democratic government’ will complete its term and then elections will be held on time.

Regarding PTI’s long march towards Islamabad, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that if elections are to be held through public gatherings, then no government would last for two months. “The government does not come into power or overthrow from public gatherings,” he added.

He further said that the Prime Minister’s decision regarding the key appointments were acknowledged by all circles.

Earlier in the day, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal ruled out possibility of immediate elections in country, citing the flood situation.

“Immediate elections are not possible due to the flood situation across the country,” the planning minister said while talking to journalists in Quetta.

Ahsan Iqbal noted that it was not possible to hold immediate elections in the country as it would take almost six months for the water to recede from the flood-affected areas. “Moreover, the new census will also be held by March next year,” he added.

On November 13, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan reiterated the demand for free and fair elections in the country and requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) for judicial intervention in the Wazirabad gun attack, Arshad Sharif’s assassination and Azam Swati’s case.

He said that four long marches were conducted then opposition parties during the PTI government and no hurdles were created for the protests.

Imran Khan said that they are only demanding early elections. He added that he had already predicted the failures of the current rulers as the country witnessed a downfall in all sectors.

The PTI chief said that the country could not be pulled out of the crisis until free and fair elections are held. “An absconder in London is opposing the elections due to fear of being defeated.”