LAHORE: Former Prime Minister and PML-N senior leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has called for bringing changes in the system before the next general elections. Talking to media at Jati Umra, Abbasi said there was no other option but to hold fresh elections in a free and impartial manner, but changes in the system before the polls had become vital.

Criticising the incumbent government, the PML-N leader said: "There was no need to remove the incumbent government, which had already gone; funeral was being delayed, it would be better to complete the job soon."

Abbasi maintained that the people were facing much hardship as the state of affairs had reached worst point. "I have served as a prime minister of this country; it will take five years to fix the wrongs."

Answering a question about the PDM rally planned for December 13 in Lahore, the former PM opined that he didn't think that the court would stop the opposition gathering. He said the Lahore rally would be more successful than that in Multan and Nawaz Sharif will also address.

When asked about the recent BBC interview of former finance minister Ishaq Dar, the PML-N leader said, there was nothing to worry about that.

"It is true that he (Dar) has only property in Pakistan," he said, adding: "The PML-N leader (Ishaq Dar) had spent 12 years outside the country and he did not require disclosing his assets.

About the formation of PTI government in Gilgit-Baltistan, Abbasi said no one knew anything about the people getting elected in the regional polls. On the other hand, the PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah told media after meeting of the PDM leaders here at PML-N Secretariat that the 2018 elections were managed and rigged and their demand is holding of free and fair elections.

Terming the demands put forward by the PDM as constitutional, the PML-N leader said that all the institutions should work within their respective ambit set by the Constitution. "Nawaz Sharif's narrative was about the supremacy of the Constitution," he said, adding: "Those backing the sitting government must also accept the public decision."

Talking about Lahore rally on December 13, he said it would be held as per plan and vowed to respond to every hurdle, if created by the government. He said that holding peaceful protest was an accepted right in a democracy and it was the government, not the opposition, which had been resorting to unconstitutional ways and means. He said the component parties are waging a just struggle for rights of the people.

Commenting on the claim that the PDM is seeking an NRO and wants to get rid of the cases, Rana asked why they should not talk about the bogus cases and corruption references. Why the NAB has not come into action after the Supreme Court remarks about the Billion Tree Tsunami, Rana questioned and said the single case was enough to send everyone from Imran Khan and Firdous Ashiq Awan to jail.

When a reporter asked about the source of funding for PDM rallies, PPP leader Chaudhry Manzoor intervened and said that everything would become clear about the sources when the verdict was issued in the PTI foreign funding case. The PPP leader said the government had back tracked from every promise made before the polls and the people from all walks of life i.e., students, farmers, labourers were on the streets. The government had fascist approach for those demanding their rights, he noted.

Speaking on the occasion, JUI-F Secretary-General Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said the opposition was of the firm opinion from the very beginning that the PTI government was selected, not elected. He said the government was afraid that the opposition might make the hundreds of thousands of people attending the Lahore rally to march towards Islamabad.

Mir Kabir of National Party condemned the killing of Hayat Baloch in Balochistan and said BNP-M chief Akhtar Mengal had rightly mentioned that in his address at Multan rally. Earlier, in the PDM meeting, leaders of component parties of the alliance finalized strategy for Lahore rally.

The sources claimed that it was suggested in the meeting that Taxali Gate be used as an alternate venue in case the government does not allow them to organise the rally at Minar-e-Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020