ISLAMABAD: Leaders of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Tuesday decided against early general elections in the country by declaring it a nonviable option in view of PTI’s fresh demand for early general elections in the wake of the party’s thumping victory in the crucial Punjab by-polls on July 17.
The participants decided to complete tenure in the center ending in August next year. They have also decided to pull out all the stops to retain the post of chief minister of Punjab in the runoff election scheduled on Friday.
وزیراعظم پاکستان شہباز شریف کی دعوت پر حکومت کی اتحادی جماعتوں اور پی ڈی ایم کے قائدین کا اہم اجلاس۔ pic.twitter.com/akddppvWeQ
— PML(N) (@pmln_org) July 19, 2022
The decision was taken in a meeting of the government’s coalition partners with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair. The meeting was attended by PDM head Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and other key political leaders.
Meanwhile, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said the federal government would complete its tenure, dismissing all speculation regarding the possible dissolution of the government following PTI’s victory in the recently-concluded Punjab by-election.
The announcement was made after a meeting was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Lahore with the allies.
Earlier, PTI chief Imran Khan slammed the chief election commissioner (CEC) and blamed him for showing dishonesty during the Punjab by-polls as millions of registered voters were declared dead in different constituencies. He demanded the resignation of the CEC and alleged that the chief election commissioner had made full efforts to assist PML-N to win the by-elections in Punjab.
He expressed complete mistrust over the current Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
