Despite Punjab setback, PDM says govt will complete inning

Putting rumours to rest, the coalition partners on Tuesday unanimously decided that the federal government would complete its constitutional term amidst the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) thumbing victory in the recently held Punjab by-polls.

They made the decision during a meeting held in Lahore’s Model Town with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Owais Noorani, Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Wasim Akhtar, Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) chief Shahzain Bugti, Awami National Party (ANP) leader Mian Iftihar Hussain, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leader Tariq Bashir Cheema, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, JUI-F’s Akram Durrani, Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) leader Aslam Bhutani, and Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader Mohsin Dawar were present in the meeting.

The decision came just a day after PTI Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan called for the dissolution of assemblies and early elections in “larger national interest”. Imran had warned that the economic situation of the country could go out of control if a timely decision regarding an early election was not made. He made the demand after his party secured 15 seats out of 20 in the Punjab by-polls, while the PML-N won four seats and an independent candidate also stood victorious. The coalition partners vowed to continue their alliance to counter the ‘threat’ of PTI.

According to the sources, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leaders said that holding early elections was not a “good option”. They said the coalition partners reached a consensus that the incumbent government would not announce early general elections and would not bow before any pressure from Imran Khan. They also unanimously decided to make all possible efforts to save the government of Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz in Punjab.

“The PDM requests to give due respect to the decisions made by parliament,” said Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique while addressing a press conference soon after the PDM meeting in Model Town.

He said the PDM had its reservations over the judicial interpretation of Article 63(A), pointing out that legislation was parliament’s prerogative and there should be no interference in it. His comment about the legislation was in the context of the hearing of a case related to recent amendments to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) ordinance.

Lashing out at Imran Khan, Rafique said that he was just a “conspirator and was not mentally fit”.

The PML-N leader also commented on recently held Punjab by-polls, saying that the rulers were applauding their win over five seats, while all those who won 15 seats were still shedding tears.

He stated that the by-polls proved the fact that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the establishment performed their duties with great responsibility and did not show any bias. He also demanded the ECP announce its judgement on the foreign fund case about the PTI, regretting that it had been pending for years. JUI-F leader Akram Khan Durani also targeted the PTI and its chief’s narrative and said that attacking the ECP and the judiciary was tantamount to humiliating state institutions.

“The law will take its course if he [Imran Khan] doesn’t stop,” said Durrani.

Later in the day, PPP Co-chairman and former president Asif Ali Zardari visited PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, inquired about his health and discussed important matters.

According to sources, Zardari tried to convince Chaudhry Shujaat that he should write a letter to all PML-Q MPAs to abstain from voting in the run-off election of the Punjab chief minister scheduled for July 22. If 10 MPAs of the PML-Q refrain from voting on the election day then the candidate of the PTI will not be able to clinch the coveted office. This is apparently unlikely, as the other candidate for the slot is PML-Q’s Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, who also happens to be the Punjab Assembly speaker. Interestingly, as Zardari came out of Chaudhrys’ house, he made a sign of victory.

On the other hand, ANP leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain said his party was closely monitoring the political situation in the country. He appreciated that the Punjab government had successfully conducted by-polls in a peaceful manner. He said that Imran Khan talked about the supremacy of the constitution, but he had never respected the democratic norms and values.

Our time of choosing

Meanwhile, PTI Senior Vice President Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said that Imran Khan would decide when to remove Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“Pressurising Shehbaz Sharif is not a big deal … he will be removed when Imran Khan wishes,” Fawad said while talking to a private TV channel.

He also claimed that five members of the National Assembly belonging to the ruling coalition were in contact with his party. Addressing a press conference, Fawad said the government was on a ventilator and the PTI had the power to send the government packing anytime.