ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah announced on Sunday that the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) has commenced its election campaign, expressing confidence in winning the upcoming elections.
Speaking to the media in Faisalabad, Sanaullah emphasized that free and transparent elections will be held this year, allowing the National Assembly to complete its constitutional term.
This statement comes as the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has shown reluctance to participate in snap polls and has been engaged in talks with the main opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), to reach a consensus on simultaneous elections in the country.
However, the PDM has refused to accept the Supreme Court’s verdict on conducting elections to the Punjab Assembly on May 14.
While negotiations between the government and PTI have taken place, they have not yet reached an agreement on the election timing.
The interior minister remarked that the federal government is not prepared to hold general elections in the country before the stipulated time, dismissing the demand of the PTI.
Rana Sanaullah urges public to exclude Imran Khan
Sanaullah urged the public to exercise their voting power to exclude Imran Khan, the PTI chairman, from politics. He warned that they would address Khan’s actions before proceeding with the elections, even if he takes to the streets.
Furthermore, Sanaullah reaffirmed that PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, currently residing in London for medical reasons since November 2019, will return to Pakistan before the general elections.
He also disregarded Khan’s warning of staging nationwide protests if elections to the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies are not held within 90 days of dissolution.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that the PML-N has decided against forming an electoral alliance and will contest the next general elections independently, in strict accordance with the Constitution, after the completion of the National Assembly’s mandated period.
The party plans to initiate its countrywide election campaign on May 28, coinciding with Youm-e-Takbeer, the day Pakistan conducted nuclear tests at Chagai in 1998 under the leadership of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, who served as the prime minister at that time.
The decision regarding the election campaign was made following a meeting between Nawaz Sharif and his younger brother, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in London, where the latter was attending the Coronation ceremony of King Charles III.
