It’s for allies to decide on early polls: Rana Sanaullah

LAHORE: Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah Monday said that the coalition partners will consider the question of early elections and their decision will be final.

Speaking at a press conference here, the interior minister said the PMLN is, was, and will be bound by the coalition parties’ decision regarding the dissolution of the assemblies. “The decision will be made after we present the matter before the parties,” said the interior minister.

Talking about the Punjab by-elections on July 17 and PMLN’s defeat against the PTI, Sanaullah said that his party was “moving forward by accepting the results”. “The 20 seats do not challenge or measure the PMLN’s popularity as the candidates who were electioneering for these constituencies were not ours,” he added.

The PMLN leader said that all the 20 seats belonged to the PTI, out of which “we won five”. Calling it a “timely defeat”, Sanaullah said that the party will have discussions with these candidates in the next elections.

The interior minister said that the party thinks Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervez Elahi should not be allowed to become the chief minister that easily as he is “neither democratic nor tolerant and does not respect anyone”.

Berating PTI Chairperson Imran Khan for targeting Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja, Sanaullah said that he was attacking the CEC since the commission had reserved its verdict on PTI’s foreign funding case. “You [Imran Khan] blackmail institutions just to get your own way,” he said, adding that the PMLN condemns Khan’s blackmailing and that he will not be allowed to act this way. “We stand with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).”

Following the PTI chairperson’s demand for CEC’s resignation, the PMLN leader said that “this crazy person is still talking about elections getting rigged even after winning them.”

“Would you [Imran Khan] believe in transparent elections only if you had won 20 out of 20 seats?” asked Sanaullah. He said that his party is standing with the ECP even after facing defeat in the elections.

Meanwhile, Rana Sana said that fresh general elections cannot be held on the desire of any single person. The Parliament will collectively decide holding of general elections and if the Parliament takes decision in this regard then the PMLN will be bound to the decisions of coalition partners.

Rana Sana expressed these views while talking to Shahzeb Khanzada in Geo’s programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada kay Saath’ on Monday. He said that elections on 20 seats cannot gauge the popularity of parties. He claimed that his party wins elections with two third majority when both PMLN and PTI will contest elections. He said that his party has to bear damage but it will overcome in next election.

Rana Sana said that they had taken correct decision to take charge and run government. He said that decision to bring vote of no-confidence against Imran Khan was taken in the interest of country. He said that the country would become Sri Lanka if the country was handed over to caretaker government.

Rana Sana claimed that PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif would return to Pakistan and would lead next election campaign. He said that it is not possible that we dissolve National Assembly and there will be PTI government in two provinces and Imran Khan cannot dissolve government in two provinces and there will be our government in the Centre.

He said that Imran Khan is undemocratic, non-political and crazy person and that person has not any interest in anything except using of foul language. Rana Sana said that PTI in Punjab has 188 members while we have 180 members and Imran Khan should not take it easy as anything can happen on July 22.