While the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) refused to make a formal comment on the Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) decision to hold Senate and general elections ahead of schedule, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the Awami National Party (ANP) welcomed the move.
PML-N Information Secretary Senator Mushidullah Khan refused to comment on the announcement made by Minister for Religious Affairs Khurshid Shah regarding the holding of Senate elections in mid-February and general elections at any time after June, saying the PML-N would give a formal reaction after consultations within the party.
However, another reaction coming from the PML-N was “better late than never”. PML-N Finance Secretary Sardar Ayaz Sadiq told Pakistan Today that the PPP core committee’s decision was proof of admission of failure. He said the PPP had now finally accepted that it had failed and it would be better to hold early elections to save the system. He said the PML-N would devise its policy soon accordingly.
Senator Zahid Khan of the ANP said his party had no reservations over the decision.
Senator SM Zafar of the PML-Q said the Senate elections could be held a few weeks before the completion of the tenure of the incumbent senators. “The newly-elected members will be delivered oath after completion of tenure of the retiring senators,” he said.
The senator said the decision reflected that the government had lost grip and wanted to get rid of the problems confronting the country as well as wanted to pacify the agitated opposition.
He said the prime minister would have to take all provincial chief ministers on board if he opted for before-time general elections in the country.
Meanwhile, the MQM also refused comment on the decision. Nasir Jamal of the MQM told Pakistan Today that his party would not give its point of view regarding the PPP’s meeting.
