LAHORE: PML-N General Secretary Ahsan Iqbal says that in case of resignations by the opposition members, a new poll would be held to elect the prime minister afresh, implying that the resignations would lead to the general election and not by-polls.

Referring to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statement that if the opposition parliamentarians tendered resignations, he would get by-polls conducted to the vacant seats, the PML-N leader said when the opposition would tender resignations, the elections would be conducted by the Election Commission of Pakistan and not by the prime minister.

In a statement on Sunday, Mr Iqbal said the country could not survive a fourth martial law and he who thought so would be the enemy of the homeland. He argued that the country had suffered unbearable losses during the last three martial laws and only the enemy of the country would think of imposing a fourth one.

About former Sindh governor Muhammad Zubair’s reported meetings with the army chief, Mr Iqbal said they were personal meetings and Mr Zubair had given a clarification in this respect. The party, however, had directed its members that no one would meet the military leadership without prior permission of the central leadership, he added.

Referring to the PML-N parliamentarian’s statement against the party, he said all knew about these opportunists who would change loyalties in each election. He said the recently held multi-party conference talked of discouraging the turncoats in the future though no formal decision had been made in this regard.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2020