Polls will be held in August 2023: Marriyum Aurangzeb

ISLAMABAD: Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said in categorical terms on Saturday that the general election will be held in August 2023, ruling out talks with PTI Chairman Imran Khan on the basis of threat and dictation.

“When we used to call for talks on economy, Covid-19 pandemic, FATF and the national security matters, you used to say, 'I will not give an NRO'.

“Imran Khan Sahib! Today, no NRO will be given to you,” she asserted during a news conference here, in response to the one held by the PTI chairman in Peshawar.

The minister contended: “There could not be negotiations with you. As you demanded the election date, I am giving you the election date, carefully listen and note it down: elections will be held in August 2023.”

She severely criticised Imran Khan's statements during his news conferences and claimed one person was in a critical state of mind and she advised him to take 'peace medicine' and let the people of Pakistan rest.

Referring to the former government, she wondered where had been Imran Khan for the last four years. He had the power to serve the people; he could have provided relief to people during his rule.

"Today, the public asks him what he did for people in the last four years. And, today, he says, he wants a two-thirds majority. What he has done for the people for the last four years, no project has been given to people,” the minister added.

“Imran Khan appears on TV channels every day to announce his failure. In this state of mind, he should avoid appearing on TV. If their protest was peaceful, why they committed violence? Why policemen were martyred, why property was damaged,” she added.

The Supreme Court, she pointed out, allowed him to hold a jalsi (small public meeting) in H-9, he could not even do it there. All parties protested from the PDM platform but never harmed anyone. She continued that after the Supreme Court verdict, they (PTI) set a metro station on fire and damaged government property. "It is not a democratic right to protest by possessing weapons." The minister condemned pelting the Geo News building with stones in the Blue Area and attacking the Samaa's van.

Addressing the PTI chairman, she said, "You attacked PTV in the last sit-in and extended congratulations and carried out activities against political opponents. You called/invited your people and kept sitting in the helicopter. Lakhs of rupees were given to your lawmakers, yet they could not bring out a few people”.

The minister accused Imran of gross violations of the Constitution and also the president, deputy speaker and Punjab governor who violated the Constitution and the courts had to open doors at night in the wake of such constitutional violations. She argued that the Supreme Court also gave its decision on the violation of the Constitution. "If you storm, damage property, you have no right to protest. Now if you make preparations for a hundred years or lie, the people are not with you.

You failed to rule in four years, lied, could not prove any charge against political opponents. The people of Pakistan are no longer with you,” Ms Aurangzeb told the PTI chairman.