MUHAMMAD SALEEM

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Saturday said that holding of general elections on time is necessary to strengthen the democratic system in the country; therefore, all the political parties including the PPP and PTI must focus on legislation for fresh delimitation of constituencies.

The PML-N President and former Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif held a meeting with the Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Federal Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique at his Raiwind residence on Saturday and discussed country’s overall political situation and matters pertaining to pending legislation in the National Assembly, sources said.

The sources claim that Nawaz Sharif asked Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Saad Rafique to meet heads of parliamentary parties to expedite legislative work on fresh delimitation of constituencies for holding of elections on time.

It may be noted that the election authorities have warned the government that they would not be able to conduct general elections on time unless the parliament amends the constitutional clause regarding delimitation of constituencies by November 10. However, the National Assembly on November 2, failed to pass the proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill.

The sources also reveal that the PML-N has also decided to hold series of public meetings across the country to be addressed by the party leadership as a part of party’s mass contact campaign. In this regard, first public meeting is being planned in Abbottabad on November 12, the sources added.

The sources further said that the PML-N leadership has also decided to activate all the wings of the party for mass public mobilization. The sources added that Speaker National assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Khawaja Saad Rafique have also been asked by the party leadership to keep in touch with party legislators and remove misconception of any party member if exists.

After the meeting, Khawaja Saad Rafique told media persons that general elections may face a delay, if the law was not passed for fresh delimitation of constituencies. He criticised the Pakistan People’s Party for refusing to engage with the PML-N on election-related legislation.

The PML-N leader advised both Asif Ali Zardari and Imran Khan to bring constitutional amendments regarding delimitation ahead of 2018 elections. “It is not in the PML-N’s interest; it is in the national interest,” he said, adding: “Public rallies should be conducted later and work on electoral reforms must be accomplished to hold on-time general elections. “We are aware of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s agenda but Asif Ali Zardari is working on an unknown agenda,” he added. In a clear reference to Imran Khan, Saad said those who are holding public rallies are in a hurry. He added that they accepted the results of Census despite reduction of nine NA seats of Punjab. “We always give preference to national interests,” he said.

To a query, Saad said, “Neither we are so anxious to meet Asif Ali Zardari nor we require any sweet (Ladu) from him because we cannot digest that.” Answering another question, he said, despite having reservations, Nawaz Sharif came back to Pakistan to face the courts. “There is no question of not appearing before the courts, he said. However, he claimed that the PML-N was being unfairly treated while its leadership is being illegally trapped. He added that Nawaz Sharif as PM was not a threat to his opponents but after being out of power he can prove challenging for his opponents.