Pakistani PM says no to early elections: will be held on time

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Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has announced that general elections will be held "on time" after August 2023.

During an interview with Anadolu News Agency, Sharif said that, "the elections will be held on time," in response to questions about the demands of his predecessor, the head of the Pakistan Justice Movement Party Imran Khan, to hold early elections.

Sharif noted that, "the current government was formed through a constitutional process and has a mandate from the people of Pakistan," adding that, "the mandate of the current National Assembly (Parliament) will expire in August 2023, followed by the formation of an interim government that will hold elections."

"The current coalition government has a representation of all political parties in the country, except for the ISAF Movement Party, and is busy dealing with issues of great importance," the Pakistani Prime Minister stated.

On April 11, the Pakistani parliament announced the election of Shahbaz Sharif as the new prime minister to succeed Imran Khan, who was ousted after a strong pressure campaign that led to a vote of no confidence in him.

Read more: Pakistan interior minister asks Imran Khan to postpone protests

After previously announcing that he will resume the march towards Islamabad on November 26, which was previously halted after the assassination attempt on his life earlier this month, the chairman of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and former Prime minister, Imran Khan, has declared that the Long March of his party will not head to Islamabad because he does not want to sow discord and anarchy in the nation.

To force the country's current leaders to call for early elections, Khan said that the party has decided to resign from every legislative body in the nation.

“We will not remain part of this corrupt system. We have decided to quit all legislative assemblies.”