Shehbaz insists coalition govt came to power through a constitutional process and enjoys people’s mandate
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressing a delegation of YouTubers in Lahore on Oct 30, 2022. PHOTO: PIDISTANBUL:Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif once again rules out early election as demanded by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, saying that the current National Assembly would complete its tenure in August next year after which an interim government would hold the general elections.
In an interview with the Turkey-based Anadolu Agency, Shehbaz said the elections "will be held on time", stressing that the incumbent government came to power through a constitutional process and enjoyed the mandate of the people of Pakistan.
Shehbaz said his government had adopted a "combination of policies to address the economic downturn by accepting the fact that "we have a very short time" to pull back from the brink of bankruptcy and financial collapse.
"Let me make it very clear that the next election will be held on time," he said. "The function of the current National Assembly will end in August 2023, after which an interim government will be established to hold elections," he explained.
"This government was formed through a constitutional process and enjoys the mandate of the people of Pakistan," he said while responding to a question about his predecessor and Imran Khan's demand for early elections.
The current coalition government had "representation of all political parties in the country except the PTI and is busy dealing with very important issues," Shehbaz added.
The prime minister said that the economic policies of the Imran Khan government were not pro-growth and therefore led the economy to many challenges. When he took office, he added, the economy faced many global and domestic challenges and was "on the brink" of collapse.
"Pakistan's economy has faced excessive monetary tightening, supply shocks, lingering pandemic effects, waning investor confidence, high inflation and the effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict," he said. He added that his government had taken corrective measures, some of which he admitted had side effects.
“Undoubtedly, some of our policy options, such as the abolition of untargeted subsidies, have increased costs in the short term. But most of our policies are more likely to offer benefits in the long run,” the Prime Minister said.
“Although such a difficult decision required enormous political capital, we took the risk of making these decisions by canceling untargeted subsidies. We are also aware of the fact that our current actions harm the most vulnerable and marginalized in society,” he said.
But in the same breath he added: “But we take care of them [the most vulnerable and marginalized segments of society] by announcing targeted subsidies and other relief measures. He emphasized that "active engagement with bilateral and multilateral partners" has eased the pressure.
To deal with the economy, he noted that his government has taken measures to reduce import bills, current account deficit and pressure on the Pakistani rupee. A "continuous decline in imports" helped improve the current account deficit during the first four months of the 2023 financial year, he added.
Foreign Relations
Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasized that inter-state relations should be "based on mutual respect". He said "our long-standing and broad-based relationship" with the US was "committed to deepening and broadening", while Pakistan and China "will continue to see to it that the plans of our adversaries fail".
“In recent months, the cooperation between the two countries [Pakistan and the US] has been quite productive and significant. Our interactions at various levels have intensified, which is reflected in the strengthening of the relationship,” he said.
Recalling the recent interaction with US President Joe Biden in New York, Shehbaz said there had been "several high-level visits including congressional delegations and members of the [US] administration" which had "yielded positive results" and strengthened bilateral relations.
"Pakistan is working closely with the US to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan," he said. “Pakistan pursues a foreign policy of 'friendship and goodwill towards all countries'. Pakistan firmly believes in the peaceful resolution of issues by following the principles of the UN Charter and international law,” he added.
When asked about balancing relations with the US and China, Shehbaz emphasized that Pakistan has traditionally maintained good relations with both countries. "Although the relationship between Pakistan and China is very special, Pakistan and the US also maintain broad ties that cover all issues of common interest."
He told an interviewer that his recent meetings with the Chinese leadership in Beijing “brought new impetus to the joint effort to ensure timely progress and implementation of major projects. "An important understanding was reached regarding advanced flagship projects," he said.
"We also agreed to strengthen cooperation in green energy, science and technology and agriculture, which are all important building blocks for the high-quality development of the CPEC [China-Pakistan Economic Corridor]," the prime minister said.
Asked whether resolving the Kashmir dispute remained a condition for restoring normal relations between Islamabad and Delhi, Shehbaz said that for "complete normalisation", India must "reverse its steps" of August 5, 2019 in India's illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). .
"We want good relations with all neighbours, including India," he said. "However, we firmly believe that lasting peace cannot be achieved without a just resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people."
The prime minister said the "illegal and unilateral actions" of 5 August 2019 and subsequent actions in the IIOJK "further harmed the environment", adding: "The onus remains on India to create an enabling environment for meaningful engagement."
Shehbaz, who was in Turkiye over the weekend, stressed that Islamabad and Ankara should work together through collective research and pooling of resources as they face common challenges and emerging threats. The two nations have similar views on regional and international issues, he said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif once again rules out early election as demanded by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, saying that the current National Assembly would complete its tenure in August next year after which an interim government would hold the general elections.
In an interview with the Turkey-based Anadolu Agency, Shehbaz said the elections "will be held on time", stressing that the incumbent government came to power through a constitutional process and enjoyed the mandate of the people of Pakistan.
Shehbaz said his government had adopted a "combination of policies to address the economic downturn by accepting the fact that "we have a very short time" to pull back from the brink of bankruptcy and financial collapse.
"Let me make it very clear that the next election will be held on time," he said. "The function of the current National Assembly will end in August 2023, after which an interim government will be established to hold elections," he explained.
"This government was formed through a constitutional process and enjoys the mandate of the people of Pakistan," he said while responding to a question about his predecessor and Imran Khan's demand for early elections.
The current coalition government had "representation of all political parties in the country except the PTI and is busy dealing with very important issues," Shehbaz added.
The prime minister said that the economic policies of the Imran Khan government were not pro-growth and therefore led the economy to many challenges. When he took office, he added, the economy faced many global and domestic challenges and was "on the brink" of collapse.
"Pakistan's economy has faced excessive monetary tightening, supply shocks, lingering pandemic effects, waning investor confidence, high inflation and the effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict," he said. He added that his government had taken corrective measures, some of which he admitted had side effects.
“Undoubtedly, some of our policy options, such as the abolition of untargeted subsidies, have increased costs in the short term. But most of our policies are more likely to offer benefits in the long run,” the Prime Minister said.
“Although such a difficult decision required enormous political capital, we took the risk of making these decisions by canceling untargeted subsidies. We are also aware of the fact that our current actions harm the most vulnerable and marginalized in society,” he said.
But in the same breath he added: “But we take care of them [the most vulnerable and marginalized segments of society] by announcing targeted subsidies and other relief measures. He emphasized that "active engagement with bilateral and multilateral partners" has eased the pressure.
To deal with the economy, he noted that his government has taken measures to reduce import bills, current account deficit and pressure on the Pakistani rupee. A "continuous decline in imports" helped improve the current account deficit during the first four months of the 2023 financial year, he added.
Foreign Relations
Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasized that inter-state relations should be "based on mutual respect". He said "our long-standing and broad-based relationship" with the US was "committed to deepening and broadening", while Pakistan and China "will continue to see to it that the plans of our adversaries fail".
“In recent months, the cooperation between the two countries [Pakistan and the US] has been quite productive and significant. Our interactions at various levels have intensified, which is reflected in the strengthening of the relationship,” he said.
Recalling the recent interaction with US President Joe Biden in New York, Shehbaz said there had been "several high-level visits including congressional delegations and members of the [US] administration" which had "yielded positive results" and strengthened bilateral relations.
"Pakistan is working closely with the US to promote peace and stability in Afghanistan," he said. “Pakistan pursues a foreign policy of 'friendship and goodwill towards all countries'. Pakistan firmly believes in the peaceful resolution of issues by following the principles of the UN Charter and international law,” he added.
When asked about balancing relations with the US and China, Shehbaz emphasized that Pakistan has traditionally maintained good relations with both countries. "Although the relationship between Pakistan and China is very special, Pakistan and the US also maintain broad ties that cover all issues of common interest."
He told an interviewer that his recent meetings with the Chinese leadership in Beijing “brought new impetus to the joint effort to ensure timely progress and implementation of major projects. "An important understanding was reached regarding advanced flagship projects," he said.
"We also agreed to strengthen cooperation in green energy, science and technology and agriculture, which are all important building blocks for the high-quality development of the CPEC [China-Pakistan Economic Corridor]," the prime minister said.
Asked whether resolving the Kashmir dispute remained a condition for restoring normal relations between Islamabad and Delhi, Shehbaz said that for "complete normalisation", India must "reverse its steps" of August 5, 2019 in India's illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). .
"We want good relations with all neighbours, including India," he said. "However, we firmly believe that lasting peace cannot be achieved without a just resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people."
The prime minister said the "illegal and unilateral actions" of 5 August 2019 and subsequent actions in the IIOJK "further harmed the environment", adding: "The onus remains on India to create an enabling environment for meaningful engagement."
Shehbaz, who was in Turkiye over the weekend, stressed that Islamabad and Ankara should work together through collective research and pooling of resources as they face common challenges and emerging threats. The two nations have similar views on regional and international issues, he said.
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