Agreement on elections in October, claims Sheikh Rasheed

ISLAMABAD: Former interior minister Sheikh Rasheed on Friday claimed that an agreement has been reached for general elections in October and an announcement in this regard will soon be made.

In a statement on Twitter, the chief of Awami Muslim League (AML) said that all but JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is against the proposal.

“Those who are in quarantine (an indirect reference to PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari who tested positive for COVID-19 and is isolating)  have also agreed to the snap polls,” he said, adding that the nation will "soon hear of the date of elections in October, a new Election Commission and the formation of an interim government".

“A dollar worth Rs250  and an increase by Rs10 in the price of LPG will shut down markets,” he added.

Sheikh Rasheed said the political reputation of the coalition partners has "turned to ashes" and that they are "neither able to face the public, nor escape, nor able to return".

“The people will decide their fate. Democracy has become a joke and the assembly a spectacle.”

The statement from the former federal minister came hours after the PDM leaders announced their decision to complete their term and rejected the PTI demand to dissolve assemblies and call early elections.

A meeting of PDM leaders was held in Islamabad on Thursday where the current political situation in the country arising after the Supreme Court verdict in the Punjab chief minister’s election case was reviewed.

A resolution passed by the PDM leaders said that with the interpretation by the SC in its recent decision, unrest, confusion, chaos and political crisis have been created in the country, which has resulted in an economic crisis.

The PDM meeting reiterated that the coalition government would complete its tenure, and the general elections would be held on time.

“The wrongdoings of the Imran Khan government cannot be undone in a year; therefore, elections will be held on time and the mess created by the previous regime would be cleaned up in the next five years,” the resolution said.