The PML-N is putting on a brave front in the face of Imran’s threats.
It has been made clear by Marriyum that neither open nor covert negotiations were being held with the PTI.
ISLAMABAD:
As the leader of the PTI, Imran Khan, makes threats to endanger the ruling coalition by disbanding provincial assemblies and calling for early elections, the PML-N appears to be ‘nonchalant’ about the consequences and has tried to show that it has teeth by saying that it is ready to “contest the polls thrice” if the PTI decides to “thrive” in its threat to disband provincial assemblies.
The government has repeatedly turned down the PTI’s demand that elections be held quickly or, at the very least, that a date be announced for them. This is because the government is of the opinion that accepting talks with conditions attached to them would not only make the entire process “meaningless,” but it would also give the PTI the impression that it had won.
“We are ready for elections any time; if PTI dissolves provincial assemblies thrice before the next general elections, we would be ready to contest thrice,” Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb told The Express Tribune. “If PTI disbands provincial assemblies thrice before the next general elections, we would be ready to contest thrice.”
In the midst of challenging the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, to move forward with his announcement that the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would be dissolved in the near future, a spokesperson for the government dispelled the notion that the PML-N was trying to avoid elections in light of PTI’s recent success.
On Thursday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) expressed its willingness to talk to the federal government about the upcoming elections. The party stated that it could accept elections in the coming August or September if the ruling alliance first announced the date for snap polls and shared an economic plan with the public.
Read more about how Imran proposes to break the political impasse by offering the government conditional negotiations.
However, a spokesperson for the government stated unequivocally that they would not accept the offer on the grounds that there would be no room for discussions. This was especially true once the PTI connected the offer to a number of demands. Marriyum stated that the two parties lacked a clear goal to commence conversation since the PTI wants to call snap elections and the government will not move from its position of holding the elections on time.
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan formally offered conditional talks to the government on Friday, a day after anonymous PTI leaders communicated the offer of talks on his behalf. He demanded that the government announce the date for general elections, or else the provincial assemblies in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would be dissolved.
Marriyum simply stated in a tweet that the elections would take place in October 2023, while at the same time reiterating that the government was not eager to begin conditional discussions. She tweeted the date October 2023 along with a screenshot of Imran’s statement that the assemblies would be dissolved if they did not sit down with the PTI.
The most recent offer of talks by the PTI was turned down by the government on Thursday. The government stated that it and the PTI do not share a common agenda for talks because the PTI wants early elections and the government is unwilling to budge from its position that elections will be held on time.
Marriyum made it clear while speaking with The Express Tribune that neither overt nor covert negotiations were being held with the previous ruling party, and that any speculations about such talks were merely that – just speculations. Marriyum made this statement while clarifying that neither overt nor covert negotiations were being held with the previous ruling party.
The leadership of the PML-N has emerged from the shadows just a few days after a major PML-N leader, who asked not to be named, disclosed that the PML-N was prepared for the upcoming elections. As part of his challenge to the head of the PTI, the leader of the PML-N had suggested that Imran should not waste any time and quickly dissolve the legislatures.
According to what he had previously stated, “We are ready for elections; no heaven will fall; the most that can happen is that we can lose but it shouldn’t be a cause to impede Imran’s move and prolong polls.”
When asked about the possibility of imposing the governor’s rule, he stated that “it is no joke to impose governor’s rule,” explaining that doing so requires a great number of grounds, and that even if such a decision were made, it would be difficult to uphold it for an extended period of time because it can be contested, and the courts can overturn it.
In response to a question regarding the possible return of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif before the general elections, he had stated that it was up to the PML-N to decide whether or not to proceed with or without Sharif, and that there would be plenty of time for the party to make a decision regarding this matter. According to what he said, “we would have at least three months to get Nawaz Sharif back, if needed,” and he added that “it’s more than enough for us.”
