ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders noted on Friday that efforts were being made to bring back ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif into mainstream politics by amending laws. They also discussed possibility of early elections in the country.

PTI chief Imran Khan held two important meetings on Friday — one with the party’s parliamentarians and the other with its vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, general secretary Jahangir Tareen and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak.

The PTI leadership observed that there were visible signs of division in the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and discussed the future course of politics, including the dissolution of the government and call for early elections.

Party leaders discuss possibility of early elections and signs of division in the ruling party

The leaders had a detailed discussion on the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references against members of the Sharif family. They shared relevant information about developments made against the Sharifs and the repeated absence of Mr Sharif and his children from the accountability court.

The most important discussion, however, was on the Election Bill, 2017 which was approved by the Senate on Friday.

“This bill could be a smokescreen by the government to bring Nawaz Sharif back into mainstream politics,” Mr Khan said, adding that it could lead to another controversy as the former prime minister had been restricted by the apex court from heading a political party.

Some PTI parliamentarians expressed surprise over the approval of the election bill despite its opposition by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Aitzaz Ahsan — as the opposition parties enjoy majority in the upper house.

The possibility of changing the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly was also discussed at the meeting.

Currently, PPP’s Syed Khursheed Shah holds the post and the PTI has been vying for it.

PTI leaders observed that the current government lacked direction and policy over sensitive issues such as foreign affairs, defence, national security and counterterrorism.

“It is not fair that the foreign minister of the country is giving statements that were contrary to the national policy against terror,” said the PTI chief.

Talking economics

PTI’s Asad Umar stressed imposing “economic emergency” in the country.

“The ship is sinking and the premier needs to take action by amending the flawed Nawaz-Dar economic policies,” Mr Umar said, adding that exports in the country were declining while imports were increasing and as a result the foreign currency reserves were depleting.

Mr Umar explained that this was troublesome as there was no recovery policy in the country while debts — local and foreign — had risen to new heights.

At the meeting, they also welcomed the court’s decision in which it has directed the government to make public the Model Town inquiry report.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2017