ISLAMABAD -UNS:Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thursday said he didn’t agree with the stance PML-N had taken and called for making the February 8 elections uncontroversial.
At the same time, Abbasi described the May 9 events as tragedy, when, he said, gangs had attacked military installations. He regretted the fact that no action had been taken against those involved in the violence despite the passage of nine months, as he expressed his views with reporters in Rawalpindi.
According to Abbasi, every person understands that there is always some deal [political affairs] and “respect the vote” is a narrative based upon the constitution.
He claimed that every election had been stolen in Pakistan since 1947 and added that resorting to pressure tactics during electioneering would damage both the people and the country. “Institutions are now used for politicking.”
Abbasi said there was still time to make the polls undisputed and the caretaker prime minister, the chief justice and the Election Commission of Pakistan should act to achieve the aim. “A country cannot progress where elections are controversial.”
The former prime minister – who was defeated in his home constituency of Murree in 2018 elections but got elected from Lahore in by-polls thanks to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif – said the three major parties had failed to deliver and lacked any solution to the existing problems.
No new party can be formed in the prevailing conditions, said Abbasi as many had believed that he along with Miftah Ismail and Mustafa Nawaz Khokar would try to launch another political entity after they joined hands under the banner of “Reimagining Pakistan” – a campaign which failed to attract public support.
“Those not contesting the elections are summoned by NAB. Just think about those who participating in the polls,” Abbasi said who was preferred by Nawaz Sharif over his brother Shehbaz Sharif in 2017 for the prime minister’s slot.
The disgruntled leader recalled that he had announced six months ago about not contesting the elections neither from the PML-N’s platform nor against it.
