PDM govt's tenure to end on August 14, says PM Shehbaz

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Wednesday the Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) tenure would end on August 14, turning down speculations that the rulers were trying to extend their stay in power.

The general elections take place 60 days after an assembly is dissolved, but given the case of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, which have yet to see polls despite their assemblies' dissolution in January, prompting reports that the rulers might try to extend their tenure.

"Our government's tenure will end on August 14 [...] the election commission will decide when the polls will take place — whether in October or November," he said during the Education Endowment Fund launch ceremony in Islamabad.

"...whosoever forms the next government after elections, their top priority should be education so they can make this nation great," the prime minister said.

The prime minister said a budget of Rs3 billion had been earmarked this fiscal year for the endowment fund to equip the youth with education and make them "builders of the nation".

All major PDM partners — the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) — are seemingly on the same page for holding polls in line with the constitutional provision.

Earlier this week, PPP — a key coalition partner — proposed the federal government to dissolve all the assemblies on August 8. 

Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar had also categorically stated that there would be no extension in the term of the National Assembly.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah had said the assemblies could be dissolved earlier than the scheduled date of August 13 to "facilitate" the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has also demanded the elections take place at their stipulated time as it sees "its victory" in the upcoming polls.

The government is under pressure as Pakistan sees one of its worst economic crises, fueling inflation to record highs and the prices not coming down despite the authorities' claims of "providing relief to the masses".

The PDM's popularity has gone down, according to recent surveys, and it faces an uphill task of wooing supporters to vote for them in the next elections.

The PML-N is eyeing the return of its supremo, Nawaz Sharif, as the party wants him in power for the fourth time. The three-time premier has a strong support base in Punjab.