ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday rejected the PTI demand for fresh polls and categorically announced that the next general elections would be held in 2018.
In a statement issued by the Prime Minister House, Nawaz Sharif said performance of political parties would be judged in the 2018 elections. “People will have the right to vote for the party of their choice in the elections,” he said.
Prime Minister Sharif said all political parties were stakeholders in a democratic system. “All of us know that loyalty to the Constitution is inevitable,” he remarked.
The premier said loopholes in the system could be rectified by parliamentary democracy. There was no other option except to abide by the Constitution, he added
While turning down the demand made by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for midterm polls, Prime Minister Sharif categorically said general elections would take place in 2018 to provide an opportunity to the people of Pakistan to judge every party on the basis of its performance.
Sharif rejected the PTI demand for fresh polls in the country and said the ballot would decide in 2018 as to which party should go to the parliament. He vowed that Pakistan would be turned into a prosperous and developed country by 2018.
The prime minister said continuation of the democratic system was in the interest of all political forces and call for early polls had no substance. Sharif said all political forces had stake in the democratic system.
Sharif said: “It must be clear to all of us that abiding by the Constitution and showing allegiance to it is essential for everyone. And there is no other way except to follow the path of the Constitution. We all know that loyalty to the Constitution is imperative for us and it is no more an issue of choice.”
Referring to the JI demand for introducing system of proportional representation in the country, Nawaz Sharif said no system was without flaws and the current shortcomings in the system could be rectified through the Constitution and the present parliamentary democratic system.
It may be mentioned that PTI has been holding countrywide anti-government demonstration, alleging the May 2013 general elections had been rigged. The PTI has announced to hold a grand show against the government to press the demand for fresh polls in Islamabad on November 30.