Despite the setback in the Punjab election, the government will fulfill your wish.

B election is not a barometer of popularity, SIS Railway Minister after key meeting of Padma Alliance

             July 19, 2022

Railways Minister Saad Rafique addressing a presser. SCREENGRAB

The coalition government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced to complete its constitutional term despite a major setback in the by-elections of Punjab.

Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq said in a joint meeting that we came to power in the larger interest of the country, we knew that they had laid economic mines for us but we took tough decisions to save the country. are Press conference. After an important meeting of the allied parties of PDM and government officials, the political and economic situation of the country was discussed in Model Town Lahore on Tuesday.

The Railways Minister said that the Punjab by-elections are no barometer to gauge popularity and added that his party wrested five provincial assembly seats from the PTI in the by-elections.

“Provincial governments also have a right to complete their terms… by-poll is not a barometer of popularity and we snatched their [PTI’s] five seats which shows that our vote bank is intact,” he remarked.

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Describing PTI Chairman Imran Khan as a 'misguided and mischievous' man, Rafiq said that Imran Khan always did politics with the support of 'umpires'.

"They want the Chief Justice, Army Chief and other [heads of institutions] to control them as they wish," he added.

The ruling party leader said opposition leaders were put behind bars and targeted during the PTI-led government "but the judiciary was asleep at that time".

He said that the coalition government under the leadership of Pakistan Muslim League (N) has decided in principle that the next general elections in the country will be held on time as the coalition parties refused to bow down to the pressure of the former prime minister. PTI chief Imran Khan.

Basking in Punjab by-poll glory, Imran Khan on Monday reiterated his demand for holding fresh elections in the country under a new chief election commissioner (CEC).

Addressing the nation after presiding over the PTI core committee meeting, the former prime minister emphasized that the only way to end the current political crisis in the country is to hold quick, clean and transparent elections.

Sunday's by-elections came after 20 PTI lawmakers were deseated by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for voting against the party line in the Punjab chief ministerial election in April.

However, defying all odds, the PTI clinched 15 provincial assembly seats out of the 20 up for grabs, dealing a stunning blow to the 13-party alliance led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on its home turf. The ruling PML-N could only bag four seats.

Today's meeting was held under the joint chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Former President and Co-Chairman of People's Party Asif Ali Zardari, Maulana Shah Owais Noorani, Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz, MQM Pakistan leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique,Ayaz Sadiq, Federal Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, Shah Zain Bugti, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Mushahid Hussain Syed, Akram Durrani, Tariq Bashir Cheema, Ahad Cheema, Ayaz Sadiq, Salik Hussain, Mohsin Dawar, Aslam Bhutani, Fahad Hussain and other leaders were also present. were Current. Current.

Insiders earlier told Express News that given the current political situation, constitutional and legal options were considered to stop Chief Minister Hamza's rule in Punjab.

Also read: PPP, PML-N feel ‘dumped’ after defeat

Leaders of Muslim League-N briefed the participants regarding the number game in the Punjab Assembly, while on July 22, a strategy consultation was held regarding the re-election of the Leader of the House.

According to the sources present in the meeting, the PDM parties and the government allies decided not to hold early elections in the country and it was decided that the early elections should not be held under the pressure of Imran Khan but under the unanimous decision of the government alliance. will

Insiders said that the meeting also decided that a new government narrative would be brought out to break Imran Khan's 'anti-establishment' narrative.

Rafiq said in today's press that the participants of the meeting also expressed reservations over the Supreme Court's decision on Article 63-A regarding the defection clause. "We believe that this decision is against the spirit of the Constitution and we request the Supreme Court to consider our plea against this decision."

Apparently referring to the PTI petition challenging the amendments to the NAB rules in the Supreme Court, the minister made it clear that the ruling coalition would not tolerate interference in legislative matters by Parliament.

"Legislation is our right and we will not compromise on it... Conspirator Imran is trying to make the judiciary controversial. They are targeting the judiciary when it delivers verdicts according to the constitution."