No option for ‘national govt’ in Constitution, says Khaqan Abbasi

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said there is no space for a national government in the Constitution so there should be no debate over it in political circles.

Talking to The News, he said: “Our party has already made it clear that PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif did not talk about ‘national government’ and he was misquoted by some circles. It is correct that national government has never been formed in the political history of Pakistan as the Constitution does not allow it.”

To a question, he said, “we have never discussed the issue of national or interim government because we want free and fair elections at the earliest.” When asked about his previous stance about interim government before the next general elections to make electoral reforms, he said: “Now we feel that free and fair elections should be held without thinking about national or interim government. We have a very clear-cut policy that country should be run in line with the Constitution. If some powers continue disrespecting the Constitution, the country would be further pushed towards troubled waters.”

“The steering committee of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will meet on September 8 and all options including long march and resignations from the assemblies will be thoroughly discussed by the participants,” he added.

To a question, he said, “Our Constitution allows us to hold long marches or tender resignations from the assemblies as it is very much part of the politics. Our protest movement will be in line with the rights of the political parties envisaged in the Constitution of Pakistan.”

Abbasi said, “Now PDM will hold public meetings and rallies and get all segments of the society united for protest movement against this government that has made the lives of the people miserable.”

He said: “The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) now realizes that it is not able to face the wrath of the voters for its poor performance and Prime Minister Imran Khan is now again making rigging plans and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are part of this nefarious design.” He said Nawaz Sharif would return to Pakistan after his medical treatment and lead the party in next general elections.