Imran forms committee for talks with JI: No polls on May 14 no matter whatever PTI does, says Sana

LAHORE/ FAISALABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday formed a three-member committee to hold talks with Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on the polls date issue, though Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah categorically made it clear that election to the Punjab Assembly would not be held on May 14 despite all-out efforts of the opposition party.

In another significant development, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah warned the State Bank of Pakistan officials against disbursing Rs21 billion to the Election Commission of Pakistan for holding polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, indicating that the money would be ‘recovered’ from whoever authorises the payment.

Earlier, PTI Secretary General Asad Umar made the announcement of the three-member committee on Twitter, saying that the decision of committee formation came after a meeting between PTI Chairman Imran Khan and JI Emir Sirajul Haq to break free from the current impasse.

Issuing a notification in this regard, Umar said the committee included former chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak, PTI Senator Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhry and former Punjab minister Mian Mehmoodur Rashid.

A day earlier, Siraj initiated efforts to bring the PTI and the ruling alliance to the negotiating table by holding separate meetings with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the PTI chief.

In a related development, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah cautioned the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) officials against disbursing Rs21 billion to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for holding polls in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, indicating that the money would be ‘recovered’ from whoever authorises the payment.

Sana was responding to the host of the Geo News show Naya Pakistan, Shahzad Iqbal, who had asked him whether the amount due to the ECP would be released by the SBP on Monday (today).

The interior minister declared: “I can’t say if the SBP officials concerned will release [the amount] or not but … I think this will be a very serious matter.” He said a serious objection will be raised against the central bank’s decision of releasing the money based on which “those carrying this payment could suffer [a penalty of] recovery”.

Sanaullah cautioned that those authorising and ordering the payment could “have to later arrange the recovery of Rs21bn all their lives”, adding that it was a very large amount to recover and could trigger many new problems. He reiterated that there were “clear chances” that those making the payment “will be held responsible for it in the future”.

Meanwhile, talking to the media in Faisalabad, Sana said that elections would be held at the appointed time across the country this year. He said elections would be held “together” under the caretaker setup. “If elections are not held in May, then October is not too far away either.”

Calling former prime minister Imran Khan a Fitna, Sanaullah said he had been brought to power through a conspiracy. “Their [PTI’s] policies of over four years created a crisis situation for the country,” he alleged.

Sana said Imran Khan used to claim that he would prefer to die instead of approach the International Monetary Fund (IMF). “It was [Imran Khan’s] government that signed the agreement with the IMF, not us. The difficulties are only due to the previous government’s agreement,” he claimed.

Load-shedding and terrorism had been eradicated during the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) government, the federal minister said, adding that due to the PTI’s wrong policies, the country was now facing multiple crises. He also questioned what happened to Khan’s claim of creating 10 million jobs and building five million houses. “Where are the jobs? We do not see any houses,” he added.

Sanaullah further said, “The condition of the common man will improve soon and the country will progress.”

The senior PML-N leader also said that party supremo Nawaz Sharif would return to the country as soon as electoral preparations begin, adding that he would supervise the party’s election campaign. “The PMLN has always steered the country out of crises,” he claimed.