Federal Minister Khurshid Shah Tuesday said that the general elections could be held a month or two earlier from the due date in consultations with allied and opposition parties.
Talking to media in the parliament house, Khurshid Shah said that former Sindh home minister Manzoor Wasan’s statement was his own personal viewpoint.
Khurshid Shah added that the existing assembly’s term would end on March 18 and then an interim setup would follow, however with the consultations of allies elections could be held a month or two earlier than scheduled.
He regretted over the boycott of the PML-N from the meeting of Parliamentary Commission for creation of new provinces and said the government would try to persuade the PML-N to join the proceedings. However if the opposition did not agree, the commission would go ahead with its task as JUI(F)’s Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri was there. He said the Commission is mandated to submit its report in a month which would then be approved by the 2/3 majority of the National Assembly.
The Minister pointed out that it was the Punjab Assembly which adopted two resolution on 9th May recommending the creation of a province in Southern Punjab and restoration of the provincial states of Bahawalpur.
In the light of these resolutions, the President wrote letter to the speaker on 30th May asking for the formation of a parliamentary commission to suggest creation of new provinces. He said two letters were written to leader of the opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan but he did not respond and then the speaker nominated Tehmina Daultana and Saudi Majeed for the commission. He said there was no need to consult Chaudhry Nisar for the formation of the commission.
Khursheed Shah took note of the statement that there should no member in the commission from outside Punjab and said it was a contempt of the Parliament.