Nawaz asks all political forces to weigh in for timely elections

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said on Monday that everyone should show seriousness towards timely holding of 2018 general elections in the country. In a meeting with National Assembly (NA) speaker Ayaz Sadiq at his Jati Umra residence, the deposed premier said that said that preference should be given to stability of democratic institutions and supremacy of law in the country. He said that contact with other political forces should be more constructive for the sake of strengthening democracy. He said that senior leadership of all political parties should be taken into confidence on important matters. During the meeting, Ayaz Sadiq briefed Nawaz Sharif about delimitation of constituencies, FATA reforms bill and other matters of important nature. The speaker apprised the PML-N chief that the government was in contact with other parliamentary political parties and all important legislations will soon be completed. It is worth mentioning here that the issue of FATA reforms has now become a bone of contention between the federal government and the opposition parties since the former withdrew a bill related to bringing reforms in tribal areas from the agenda of the National Assembly. The opposition parties have been boycotting the National Assembly proceedings since last week and are of the view that they will continue to do so till FATA reforms bill is tabled in the Lower House. Also in Lahore, Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique voiced his concern over a recent statement by Speaker Ayaz Sadiq, saying it should be given a serious thought. Talking to media, the minister said the speaker must have sensed something wrong that’s why he gave such a striking statement. He said he could see a ‘foul play’ going on in the name of accountability. The leg pulling of politicians is underway on the pretext of accountability, he claimed. The minister said Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan was in habit of bad-mouthing his political opponents. Use of such language in politics is uncalled for, he added. Rafique said the people were well aware of those who hurled abuses and those who worked to change the quality of their lives. The next polls will decide whom the people wanted to elect, he said, adding that the masses will hold the PTI and PPP to account as well. The PML-N government worked for the betterment of people despite facing allegations in the last four years, the minister said. From the beginning, he said, his party had stressed the need that all political parties should work together for the sake of country. He said the PML-N had not picked up a battle against the judiciary nor did it ever think of criticizing the chief justice, but it reserved the right to disagree with the court verdicts. The minister advised that judges should be mindful of their position while giving remarks. He said an elected prime minister was disqualified over work permit while a person who repeatedly admitted he was the owner of an offshore company was let go scot-free. The PML-N is planning to launch campaign for the next general elections from next month by reaching out to the citizens through public meetings in different cities. The party is confident about its victory in the upcoming general elections. It thinks that people will again elect PML-N to power in the polls to be held in the mid of next year on the basis of their five-year performance and service delivery in diverse sectors of the economy. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif is planning to hold an aggressive campaign with the slogan of ‘respect of vote. He has already stated that he would launch a movement for constitutional and legal rights of the people and ask the public to support his agenda of reforms. Nawaz Sharif has already held impressive public meetings in cities of Abbottabad and Quetta and is scheduled to address a public gathering in Sargodha on December 27. Published in Daily Times, December 19th 2017.