Punjab polls to be held later this year, not on May 14: Sana

Elections in Punjab  province will not be held on May 14, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Sunday, dismissing pressure from the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party to hold early elections. Speaing to reporters, the minister stressed that elections will be held simultaneously across the country on their scheduled date later this year. Earlier this year, the PTI had resigned from two provincial assemblies where it had majority, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, and has since been pushing for early elections. However, the government rejected has the party's call, backing the Election Commission of Pakistan's notice for delaying the votes to October 8, citing a lack of resources and an ongoing economic crisis. The Supreme Court recently ruled that the delay was illegal and voting in the two provinces should be held between April 30 and May 15—an order that triggered a still ongoing face-off between the federal government and Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial. Read more: Cabinet voices concern over Punjab elections During a media interaction in Faisalabad today, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah referred to PTI Chairman Imran Khan as a 'fitna', emphasising that elections will be held on schedule throughout the country no matter how much the party pushes for early polls. He claimed that PTI came into power due to a conspiracy and its policies over the last four years have resulted in a crisis situation in the country. Sanaullah claimed that no development projects had been started during PTI's tenure and accused Imran Khan of signing an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under arduous conditions. According to the minister, PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif will return to the country to oversee preparations for the polls and supervise the party's election campaign. The announcement comes as the ruling PML-N gears up to face a tough challenge from the opposition in the upcoming general elections, with Sharif's return expected to energise the party's base and give a boost to its campaign efforts amid challenges on economic and political fronts. Sanaullah further said that during the previous PML-N regime, electricity load shedding and terrorism were eradicated from the country. However, he added that due to the PTI government's poor policies, Pakistan is currently facing several crises. According to the minister, the survival of Pakistan has been ensured due to the country's nuclear capability, which was attained during the tenure of Nawaz Sharif.

from Punjab News Updates and Insights - The Express Tribune https://ift.tt/udWsgK2