Earlier, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) gave the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) a drubbing in the Punjab by-elections on Sunday, winning at least 15 of the 20 seats.
PTI Chairperson Imran Khan on Monday reiterated his demand for holding fresh elections in the country.
Today, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) alliance parties held an important meeting in Lahore to discuss the country’s political situation.
The meeting was co-chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Pakistan People’s Party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, Maulana Shah Owais Noorani, Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, MQM-Pakistan leader Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique, Ayaz Sadiq, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, and other leaders were also present.
Following the meeting, Saad Rafique said: “We came into power in the larger interest of the country… we knew that they [PTI government] had laid economic landmines for us but we took tough decisions to save the country.”
“Provincial governments also have a right to complete their terms… by-poll is not a barometer of popularity and we snatched their [PTI’s] five seats which shows that our vote bank is intact,” he added.
He said that the government has decided that the next general elections in the country will be held on time, adding that the ally parties have refused to budge under the pressure of former prime minister Imran Khan.