Pakistan expected to hold fresh elections in October: Reports

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's ruling coalition and rival former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) are set to hold talks over holding fresh general elections and as per local media sources the date for the same is expected to be in October 2022.

The Pakistan Muslim League-led (PML-N) government, all allied parties, and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf are expected to begin talking over the date of fresh general elections, ARY News reported citing sources.

The talks are to be held in a bid to contain the ongoing political and economic turmoil. The date for the next general elections is expected to be in October 2022, sources said.

As per the sources, the Pakistani establishment is also going to mediate in the talks between the government and the opposition.

After former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won the Punjab bypolls, PML-N leader and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that early elections are on the cards however the decision will only be finalized post discussion with the coalition parties.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Sanaullah made these remarks at a press conference in Lahore. "The decision will be made after we present the matter before the parties," said the interior minister.

Earlier, Imran Khan said that general elections must be held in the country under the supervision of a neutral chief election commissioner (CEC), reported local media.

Claiming that the "selected" government has been imposed on the masses through planning and plotting, he said that an election must be held as soon as possible, otherwise, democracy will suffer a huge blow.

Khan, however, added that the polls should be conducted under the supervision of a suitable chief election commissioner (CEC).

Dismissing the allegations of his former government being incompetent, he said, "We had been hearing those remarks for three-and-a-half years. My only demand is to conduct the election under the chairmanship of a neutral CEC. Let the people decide [the country's fate]."

Further, reiterating that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf's (PTI) government was toppled through a conspiracy, he said that a commission should be formed under the chairmanship of the chief justice of Pakistan to probe the matter.

"A sitting prime minister has been ousted through a conspiracy, therefore, all state institutions should look into the matter as it has turned out to be a huge setback for the country," the media outlet quoted him as saying.