ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif stated on Friday that there is no possibility of holding elections before October this year.
Speaking to the media outside Parliament, Asif said that the election would be held in October after the possible return of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Supremo Nawaz Sharif. He added that the election would never be held in the absence of Sharif.
Asif said that holding elections now would not only be the end but also the beginning of the tension. He also criticized the ruling government, stating that it was talking about the constitution and it was not about Imran Khan’s popularity or fear. He said that popularity never lasts.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) delegation sought the date for the dissolution of the National Assembly (NA) before the budget during the second round of talks with the federal government.
Political impasse in Pakistan
PTI Chief Imran Khan directed the dialogue committee to conclude negotiations with the federal government at the earliest. It was learned that Khan instructed the dialogue committee to complete the dialogues within a week.
As per Khan’s directives, PTI sought the date of NA dissolution from the federal government before the budget. Moreover, the delegation also rejected the government’s plan to conduct general elections in October.
Sources close to PTI said that political tensions could be reduced if the government gives a date for NA dissolution. They added that PTI wants significant progress in talks with the government before the next hearing in the Supreme Court (SC).
Prior to this development, Imran Khan said that negotiations with the coalition government would only go forward if they were willing to dissolve the National Assembly forthwith.
