After a devastating defeat in the Punjab by-elections on Sunday, the ruling coalition’s top leaders will meet here on Tuesday to save the Punjab government at all costs and announce the next general election.
Members of the nine-party ruling coalition agree that Shehbaz Sharif-led government in the center must end its term for one main reason: it has made difficult economic decisions and has paid for it. Now there is no need to panic and give in to Pakistan resident Tehreeki-Insaf (PTI). Imran Khan’s demands for snap elections. The coalition partners also backed PM Shehbaz in initiating “active efforts” and investigating all options to safeguard his son Hamza Shehbaz’s position as Punjab chief minister from the combined PTI-PML-Q candidate, Chaudhry Parvez Elahi.
The ruling alliance’s top leadership, including JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari, MQM-Khalid P’s Maqbool Siddiqui and Wasim Akhtar, ANP Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Jamiat Ulema-i-Shah Pakistan’s Owais Noorani, Jamhoori Watan Party’s Shahzain Bugti.
According to a source, practically all of the participants strongly supported the notion that the coalition government serve out its term through August of next year. “We have made difficult economic decisions, and the situation will be different by the time we go to the polls next year.” We don’t need to be afraid of Imran… rather, we need to be stern with him and answer appropriately,” he stated.
The leaders of the key coalition parties, the PML-N, the PPP, and the JUI-F, have advised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to pull up his socks and, come what may, not surrender Punjab to the PTI-PML-Q without a struggle. “Hamza should not step down.” “The coalition will go to any length to keep him as CM,” a meeting member remarked, according to the source.
During the huddle, Hamza met with Mr Zardari and received some “valuable recommendations” on retaining his position. “Losing Punjab means losing the Centre, and we can’t afford that,” one participant stated. “Explore all legal and necessary avenues to save the Punjab coalition government,” he stated. No one in the room disagreed with his assessment.
Following the meeting, Railways Minister Saad Rafique, together with representatives of the allied parties, proclaimed during a press conference that the federal government was not leaving. He gave the coalition’s ‘official stance’ on taking power after deposing Imran, stating it was done “in the larger interest of the country.” The PTI government had planted economic landmines, but we made harsh decisions to save Pakistan without regard for politics.”
Rafique downplayed the PML-N and its allies’ defeat in the by-elections, claiming that his party took four seats from the PTI and that their vote grew by 39%. He refused to believe that the poll results had anything to do with the popularity of any political party.
The minister slammed Imran Khan, stating the previous prime minister wanted his choice for army commander, top judge of Pakistan, and chief election commissioner because he saw himself as the “Ameerul Momineen.”
The minister also chastised the judiciary for failing to hear the cases of PML-N leaders. He stated that court decisions should not be issued by the ‘doctrine of necessity,’ and he advised the courts not to engage in legislative matters, which were the realm of parliament. He requested that the Supreme Court hear the review petition filed against its decision on the presidential reference under Article 63-A. He also requested that the election commission rules on the PTI’s foreign funding case.
Marriyum Aurangzeb, Federal Information Minister, stated that the next general election would be held when the incumbent administration and the ECP agreed.
Mahnur is MS(development Studies)Student at NUST University, completed BS Hons in Eng Literature. Content Writer, Policy analyst, Climate Change specialist, Teacher, HR Recruiter.
