National Assembly will make decision when to hold polls: PM Shehbaz

Premier tells Imran Khan his dictation will not work and assemblies will complete their term

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said that the decision to set and announce the date for the next general elections rests with the National Assembly.

Speaking on the floor of the lower house of parliament, PM Shehbaz assailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and its Chairman Imran Khan. He said Khan’s dictation won’t work and the house will decide when to hold the elections.

His comments come after the PTI chief gave an ultimatum to the government to dissolve the assemblies in six days and announce elections. He threatened that he will amass his supporters and return to D-Chowk.

PM Shehbaz said that Imran should not “misinterpret” the government’s willingness to talk as an invitation to blackmail it. He said the coalition government would carry on and work tirelessly to solve the people’s problems till it intended to do so and its term was concluded.

The premier said that the government had two goals to achieve when he assumed office, one of which was to ensure that fair and transparent elections are conducted. He congratulated the house for passing a bill regarding the topic and laying the ground work for fair polls in the future.

He spoke that the second goal was to resuscitate the sinking economy which, he said, would be difficult but not impossible. PM Shehbaz said that history is filled with examples where hard conditions and challenges were tackled with energy and effort and the situation improved.