ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has claimed that the incumbent coalition government will not opt for early elections anytime soon and instead complete their term till August 17, 2023.
Speaking to journalist in TV’s talk show, the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leader said the government and its allies were confident of continuing to rule till their term ends.
“The government’s performance is judged during by-elections,” he said. “After the vote of no confidence, we had to decide whether to form a government or not and all the coalition partners decided to do so.”
Abbasi maintained that PML-N sacrificed their politics just to take tough economic decisions for the welfare of the country.
“If Imran Khan’s government had stayed then we would’ve defaulted by now,” the ex-PM said. “Imran could not have saved the economy.”
He further said if the establishment could have stolen the 2018 elections then who could stop them during the by-elections. “There were no hopes that Imran Khan could have taken the country on the right path. If we had defaulted then we would have turned into a Sri Lanka.”
The first winner of the Punjab by-elections from PP-217 Multan, Makhdoom Zain Qureshi clarified surfacing reports of his chances to be named as the new Punjab chief minister on July 22, saying that “Whatever decision is taken by the party leadership, it will be accepted.”
He, however, highlighted that PML-Q is an ally of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) since the 2018 elections.
“All the options are on the table,” Zain said, adding that any member of the provincial assembly can become the chief minister. “We have a comfortable majority after winning 15 seats in the by-polls and can appoint our own CM.”
