Daily Times

JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman and the ruling PML-N leader Khawaja Muhammad Asif Monday called upon the coalition government for holding early elections.

Speaking in the National Assembly session, Khawaja Muhammad Asif urged the government to hold the general elections as soon as possible.

“In my personal opinion, we should go to the people as soon as possible and take a new mandate,” Asif said.

Criticizing the past government for its alleged incompetency and corruption, he said Imran Khan brought the country to the brink of bankruptcy. Asif maintained that the coalition government was facing the gigantic task of price hike, and added that time and peace were required to deal with such challenges. He said the coalition government was cognizant of the grievances of the people of Balochistan and wanted to address them, says a news report.

A day earlier, Fazlur Rehman had said that the maximum tenure of the new government was one year. Demanding immediate elections, Fazl said the JUI-F had its own identity and narrative within the collation government.

Addressing an event, he said the allied parties had toppled the PTI-led government, adding that now it was their responsibility to give back to the nation what they promised and struggled for. Underscoring the need for necessary electoral reforms, the JUI-F leader said that unnecessary delay in elections was not the narrative of his party. Referring to Imran Khan but not naming him, Fazl continued: “Even though he is gone and we sent him packing, it is still our responsibility to return to the people the amanat that we struggled for.”

Fazl suggested electoral reforms as a solution to any reservations that coalition partners in the new setup may have with regards to the electoral system and possibilities of rigging. He said “there is a limit to expediency. Continuing to stay in power unnecessarily would not be the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam’s stance”.

Regarding Imran’s rallies, the JUI-F chief said following the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) press conference last week, the “letter was fake as it was on white paper”. He added that diplomatic cyphers were communicated on pink, yellow and green coloured papers.He further alleged that Imran changed the wording of the diplomatic correspondence disregarding his oath as the prime minister.