By-polls cannot be held on 500 seats: Maryam Nawaz
LAHORE: Vice President Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz on Thursday said that the outgoing government could not be strengthened by holding elections in February.
“This is not a cakewalk, you cannot hold elections after the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) members will resign. By-polls cannot be held on 500 seats,” said Maryam Nawaz while addressing media in Lahore.
She said her party would not get scared of the government’s threats. The government would have to face the consequences of playing with the state institutions, she maintained.
To a query, she said the PML-N was united and would remain so and the decision about legal remedies against the government’s decision would be taken by the PDM. The PDM and PML-N would announce next course of actions in the next meeting.
“The government says that the PDM meetings do not affect it, if it is the case then why you have announced Senate elections one month earlier,” she asked.
The PML-N vice president said the defeated government adopted such tactics in a bid to frighten them.
“Election has to be announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). I am not against show of hand procedure for senate election, however we can’t allow you to modify constitution for your personal interest. They have themselves become chairman of the ECP. It is the ECP’s job to hold and announce senate elections,” she said.
Maryam asked that in what status, did PM Imran Khan announced the senate elections. “I believe that Imran Khan is currently the chief election commissioner,” she maintained.
She also urged the chairman ECP not to accept unconstitutional demands.
