With best candidate, PTI to win Senate election: PM

Imran says ruling party has broken the tradition of fielding billionaires

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed his confidence on Tuesday the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf would emerge victorious in the upcoming Senate election while the opposition’s proposed long march would flop same as its campaign of anti-government public rallies. 

Chairing a meeting of the government spokespersons in Bani Gala, the prime minister stressed that the PTI had ended the tradition of awarding Senate tickets to billionaires, instead it had chosen the candidates on merit. 

“We will easily win the Senate election, we have given Senate tickets to the best candidates,” the prime minister told the meeting. We have broken the tradition of giving Senate tickets to billionaires,” Imran added. 

According to Information Minister Shibli Faraz, the current political situation and the Senate elections were discussed in the meeting. The spokespersons were also briefed on the government decisions and austerity measures. 

Imran emphasised the spokesperson that people should know that the government was with them in difficult situations. The expenditures of the Prime Minister House had been reduced by 49% from Rs506 million in the past to Rs243 million. “Today all economic indicators are improving,” he added. 

Commenting on the opposition PDM’s proposed long march scheduled for next month, the prime minister said that the march would “fail badly” as the PDM’s public gatherings. “We had not taken the opposition’s pressure before and we will not take it in the future. 

Faraz told reporters after the meeting that Prime Minister Imran had always held the view that the Senate elections should be transparent and that the elected representatives must not misuse the people’s vote. 

The minister said that the previous governments had popularised the culture of money in politics. “We have a clear position and we have eliminated the politics of money and promoted competence and merit, instead,” he added. 

“How can we help a person wanted by law by giving him a passport,” the minister replied when asked about reports that the passport of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif expired on Tuesday. “It is not possible for us to be facilitators and Nawaz Sharif goes somewhere else.” 

The information minister said that Nawaz Sharif went abroad for treatment but started politics. He added that instead of a passport, travel documents would be issued to the former prime minister so that he could return back to the country. 

Responding to another question, the minister said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz had admitted that the future of PDM was dark and that she had hinted at travelling abroad. 

He said that he did not understand why they were suffering from diseases which could not be treated in Pakistan. He added that Maryam Nawaz was paving the way for her to go abroad with such messages. “The government will definitely not allow Maryam Nawaz to go abroad,” he added.