The Awami National Party (ANP), a member of the ruling government, threatened to quit the alliance if the country’s by-elections were further delayed.
On Saturday, ANP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Aimal Wali Khan took to Twitter to express his concerns with the PDM government.
The development comes a day after the federal government requested that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) postpone the next by-election on October 16 because a political party “had plans to “besiege” the capital later this month.
The by-elections were initially originally scheduled to take place in September, but the ECP postponed them due to a lack of security personnel in the aftermath of devastating floods, which have resulted in over 1,700 casualties.
A noticeable reference to the PTI was made in a letter from the interior ministry to the ECP that stated, “Based on credible reports from Intelligence Agencies, it has transpired that a political party is planning to besiege the federal capital… which coincides with the election date.”
Aimal Wali Khan stated that his party has informed the Shehbaz Sharif-led government that if by-elections are further delayed, not only will his party withdraw from the by-elections, but it will also leave the coalition that has formed the federal government.
ECP had announced October 16 as the date for the by-elections after eight NA seats were vacated following PTI MNAs resignations.
