Govt snubs Imran’s early poll demand

Ruling coalition censures PTI chief’s remarks against Nawaz and Zardari

ISLAMABAD:

The ruling coalition on Monday “categorically” rejected PTI Chairman and former premier Imran Khan’s demand of holding early polls in the country, saying no group will be allowed to impose its will “on the basis of might”, and that a final word on the matter will be theirs.

The decision was announced in a joint statement by the government allied parties which also condemned in the strongest terms the statements and accusations hurled by the PTI chief against PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.

The PTI chief, after his historic win in the by-elections a day earlier, had been demanding of the incumbent government to hold early elections, warning otherwise he would march on to the federal capital.

In a presser on Monday, Imran said he was giving “some more time” to the government to decide on the matter but warned that he would not go beyond October to announce the date of his planned march.

He accused Nawaz of attempting to delay the polls, saying “he (Sharif) is afraid to go to elections because of the PTI’s constantly growing popularity.”

He said a high-profile appointment such as that of the army chief should not be made by “criminals like Nawaz or Zardari”. “The army chief should be appointed on merit.”

The statement issued by the government allied parties noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would take a decision on the appointment of the new army chief as per law.

“[The decision will not be taken] on the foreign funding ‘mischief’s’ bullying, intimidation and dictation,” the statement read.

The ruling coalition maintained that “criticism” on the army chief, leadership and officers of sensitive institutions, chief election commissioner and others by the PTI chairman was “blackmailing” which was “absolutely a non-political conduct and a part of the conspiracy which will not be allowed to succeed”.

The statement said that appointment to the position of army chief and others was the “constitutional authority” of the premier.

Slamming Imran, the statement further said that “a person deprived of power” was targeting state institutions according to a “planned agenda”.

“A dirty campaign against the martyrs of the Pakistan Army, statements of rebellion within the army and encouraging such steps are tantamount to anti-national activities, which will be dealt with according to the Constitution and law,” the statement said.

“Constitution, democracy and the system will not be allowed to be enslaved on the basis of bullying and intimidation,” it added.

“The government allied parties will decide when the elections will be held in the country. No group on the basis of might will be allowed to impose its will [in this regard].”

The ruling coalition clarified that the economy of the country and rehabilitation of the flood victims was the top national priority of the government and that no compromise would be made on them.

The statement further noted that the number of coalition government seats in the National Assembly after the by-elections on October 16 had increased to 176 from 174 while the PTI had “lost eight seats in the National Assembly due to the arrogance of ‘mischief’”.

Separately, Zardari called Imran a “conspirator”, saying his statements were against the national institutions and were meant to weaken them.

In a statement issued by the party secretariat, the PPP leader said the “conspirator had become obsessed with his lust for power”.

“During the regime of Khan, the institutions were badly used to fulfil his personal ambitions and the government was busy trying to repair the damage caused to the reputation of the institutions by this conspirator,” the PPP leader said.

"The government will defeat every conspiracy of this person," he added.