Islamabad, May 23 (PTI) Pakistan’s coalition government has rejected ousted prime minister Imran Khan’s demand that early elections be held in the country, saying the government will complete its tenure and the polls would be held next year, a media report said on Monday.
Khan, 69, the cricketer-turned-politician, was removed from power through a no-confidence vote in parliament by the Opposition parties last month. He has given a call for the march in the capital Islamabad on May 25, followed by a sit-in to force the government to call for snap polls.
Express News channel quoting sources reported that following a flurry of meetings, the coalition partners rejected the demand for early elections and decided to take tough measures to stabilise the economy and improve governance.
The leading partners, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PM-N), the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), also decided that the government will complete its tenure till August and the general elections would be held next year.
The allies said they would not yield to any pressure, amid growing calls to dissolve assemblies and announce snap polls.
The government said it will handle the planned long march of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in a democratic way and the protesters would not be allowed to hold a rally on Srinagar Highway in Islamabad.
Instead, the PTI will be provided with a ground to hold a rally or stage sit-in as an alternative to Srinagar Highway, the report said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will chair an important meeting of the coalition parties on Wednesday in which the future course of action would be announced, it said.
The coalition came to power after Khan was ousted through a no-confidence vote on April 8. However, it has so far failed to solve the economic problems of the country, inviting the ire of the masses.
Prime Minister Sharif is apparently reluctant to take tough decisions like hiking the petroleum prices which were capped by the Imran Khan administration in February.
According to sources in the PML-N, the party is against putting more burden on the people and alienating them without the complete support from the other coalition partners and the powerful establishment.
The protest by Khan is expected to mount more pressure on the government to tackle the political and economic problems of the country.
Khan said he wants people from all walks of life to participate in the march to raise clamour against his removal as the prime minister which he called “illegal”.
Khan has accused the US of conspiring to topple his elected government, citing communication from the country’s ambassador in Washington.
The US government has bluntly denied the allegations multiple times. PTI SH MRJ MRJ
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.