ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), a significant supporter of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has backed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in its request for elections to be held in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within 90 days in accordance with the constitution.
Imran Khan’s PTI disbanded the legislatures of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This disbandment was part of his campaign to set a date for national elections. It has been PTI’s main demand since Khan was ousted. He was ousted in April of last year by a vote of no-confidence.
“The election date has not been announced even after 25 days. Khan stated while addressing the nation on television on February 6 that anyone who postpones the elections beyond the constitutional period will be subjected to Article 6.
Khan further emphasized that his party made the decision to dissolve the two assemblies. He made the decision due to the unrest, the nation was experiencing. He said, “Governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were dissolved in accordance with the Constitution.”
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister’s Stance
The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Faisal Karim Kundi, echoed Khan’s call for polls in an episode of “Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath” on Geo News. He added that “The PPP will ask the allies to follow what is in the law and the Constitution.”
Moreover, the PPP leader questioned the PTI for not holding local body elections during their tenure.
Kundi claimed that the PTI engaged in political engineering and victimization of rivals by using the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). He asserted that PTI filed fabricated lawsuits against political party leaders when they were in power. Yet they were unable to present any proof against them in court.
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The SAPM argued that the PPP leadership did not support political victimization. Further added, ‘they never incited political enmity towards rivals by employing the NAB or any other institution’.
PPP supports PTI’s call for elections
Kundi responded to a question about elections by saying that the governor was just required to provide recommendations. Moreover, it was the duty of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to announce the election date.
He further emphasized the importance of holding elections in conformity with the Constitution. He urged the ECP to develop measures for hosting free and fair elections throughout the nation.
