Early Senate elections cannot save PTI government: Maryam Nawaz

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz has asserted that even if the Imran Khan-led government holds upcoming Senate elections early, it cannot save itself, and it will be going home soon.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore today (Thursday), the PML-N vice president asked the government why it changed its strategy if it is unaffected by the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) rallies.

“If you are not affected by PDM public gatherings, as you say, then why there is an emergency to hold elections, and this has never happened in Pakistan’s history,” she added.

Maryam Nawaz further said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) will decide the schedule for the Senate elections, not Prime Minister Imran Khan. “They have understood that they have limited days in office. Despite your tactics, you will have to go home,” she added.

She blamed Prime Minister Imran Khan for destroying the national institutions by dragging them into politics for his own interests. “You became a self-proclaimed FIA chairman, you became a self-proclaimed FBR chairman, and now you want to become the chairman of the election commision,” Maryam added.

“Have you not read the Constitution? Did your army of ministers and special assistants not inform you that it isn’t your right?” she asked, adding, “Now you want to include your desired way of elections.”

Maryam also said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was making the Supreme Court ‘controversial’ by involving it in the matter of introducing the ‘show of hands’ method for Senate elections. “I am not against show of hands, however, the motive behind the government’s move was not transparent,” she claimed.

“You forgot the show of hands method when the vote of no-confidence motion was moved against the Senate speaker,” she said, adding that not only did PM Imran Khan support the secret balloting method, but he took full advantage of it.

Maryam said that the government could not change the current voting method via an ordinance as it required a Constitutional amendment to do so. “The Supreme Court cannot make laws, only the Parliament can,” she added.