Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition govt failed to deliver: Javed Latif

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Javed Latif has asserted that the coalition government led by former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif failed to deliver during its 15-month tenure, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Speaking on ARY News programme ‘Khabar Mehar Bukhari kay Sath’, the PML-N leader said that the coalition government, without party supremo Nawaz Sharif, cannot give nation the ‘Pakistan of 2017’.

Javed Latif dispelled the impression of ‘any relief’ given to Nawaz Sharif during his brother – Shehbaz Sharif – government, saying that the PML-N has always faced the law and obeyed the Constitution.

He further demanded that everyone should be treated fairly and equally under the law, saying that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan still has the right to defend and appeal against his conviction, but Nawaz Sharif doesn’t.

Admitting the failure of the coalition government, Latif said that Shehbaz Sharif and his coalition government failed to deliver during its 15-month tenure. “Because without Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan of 2017 could not be given to the nation”, he added.

Moreover, the PML-N leader said, his party supremo and three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan next month (September).

It is pertinent to mention here that the National Assembly (NA) was dissolved on August 10 after President Dr Arif Alvi signed the summary sent by Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif for disbanding the legislative.

“The president dissolved the National Assembly on the advice of the prime minister under Article 58-1 of the Constitution,” read an official statement issued by the President’s Office on X, formerly known as Twitter.

With the dissolution of the lower house of parliament, the tenure of current government – which came into power after former prime minister and PTI chief Imran Khan was ousted through a vote of no-confidence – ended prematurely.

‘Elections likely to be delayed’

However, ministers have recently stated that there was a possibility of a delay in holding the next general elections as the Council of Common Interest (CCI) “unanimously” approved the 2023 census.

Khawaja Asif stated that there is a possibility of a delay in holding the next general elections.

“I do believe that elections will be held in November. But you asked me if there is a possibility of delay: There is a possibility of a delay but not more than a couple of months on technical grounds,” he said.

When asked whether the approval of the 2023 census would result in an election delay, Khawaja Asif said: “I cannot speculate at the moment but it is a possibility. I won’t rule that out.”

On the other hand, Rana Sanaullah said that the general elections would be held in the third week of February or the first week of March after new delimitations.