TAXILA: The PML-N leader Senator retired Lt-Gen Abdul Qayyum on Wednesday said the country could not afford early elections or interim government in the prevailing economic situation.

Talking to newsmen here at Wah Cantt on Wednesday, he said no monetary organisation or country would provide funds to a short-term political setup so it is in the best interest of the country that elections should be held as per schedule.

He was of the view that sustainable political stability was a prerequisite for a sound economy which will promise well-being of the people from different strata of the society.

He said confrontation, agitation, protest, violence and agitation was not the solution.

The senator while responding to a question said the Imran Khan government was the only government in the history of the country which had been removed through constitutional means. He urged all the opposition political forces especially PTI to hold talks with the government for conducting next general elections and resolve the issue through parliament rather than on the streets.

He said though the coalition government had paid the price for the tough decisions, it got the country out of the crisis put in by the previous government.

The veteran PML-N leader said that the blame game was the part of hybrid war against the country and urged the people especially youth to avoid blaming armed forces for all the crisis the country was in at present. He said soldiers as well as officers of the armed forces rendered sacrifices for the country.

Published in Dawn, December 1st, 2022