News Analysis |
Mr. Naeem ul Haq Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Political Affairs has refuted the reports regarding mid-term elections. Mr. Haq categorically rejected such reports and made it clear that it was impossible to hold mid-term elections.
Mr. Haq while talking to media reporters in Lahore on Sunday, also tarnished the criticism and made it clear to the opposition that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was successfully and smoothly running the country’s affairs and taking steps to strengthen the economy.
After PM Khan’s remarks opposition got an opportunity to bash the government while equating PM’s statement with the admission of his government’s failure.
Mr. Haq was of the view that the government did not want any stumbling block in the country’s progress which is why it was making efforts to take all the political parties along to address issues of national importance. “This is evident from the fact that 20 of the 38 standing committees of the National Assembly (NA) would be headed by the government members and 18 by those from the opposition,” he added.
It is worth mentioning here that after four months long debate the opposition was able to get the chairmanship of Public Accounts Committee. Mr. Shahbaz Sharif, opposition leader in the National Assembly and President of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), was the candidate who got elected unopposed.
Read more: Early elections: Another round of media hype
Furthermore, Mr. Haq said that the government was going to initiate a mass-contact campaign from 27th December. The campaign will get started from Mianwali, the hometown of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Interestingly, a controversy broke up when PM Khan made some remarks regarding mid-term elections earlier this month while talking to senior media anchors and journalists in Islamabad; the statement PTI leadership later clarified was taken out of the context. After PM Khan’s remarks opposition got an opportunity to bash the government while equating PM’s statement with the admission of his government’s failure.
Fortunately, the civil-military relations are going very well and there is no disagreement on domestic as well as foreign policy with regard to the national security.
As mentioned by the Special Assistant to PM, PTI-led government is focusing on many projects to upgrade the lives of common people in Pakistan. However, the focus of the present government on the elimination of corruption and to ensure the rule of law has created political insecurity for the opposition.
Repeated claims of Federal Minister for Information Mr. Chaudhary that it is the end of the political career of Mr. Nawaz and former president Asif Ali Zardari is a reminder to both leaders that the scrutiny is being tightened now. Therefore, in a state of uncertainty and political insecurity, the opposition is looking forward for any opportunity which helps them demanding mid-term elections.
Read more: PM Khan hints on early elections
Analysts argue that opposition is not united and the government does not face any political challenge at the moment. The government has also handled religious fanatics with great care. Fortunately, the civil-military relations are going very well and there is no disagreement on domestic as well as foreign policy with regard to the national security. Hence, it is argued that there are no signs of early or mid-term elections in Pakistan.