ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has proposed a solution to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, offering to return the 2018 electoral mandate in exchange for a period of governance until the 2024 elections.

Speaking in the Senate, Dar said, “If you return the 2018 mandate to us, we will take charge, govern, and then you can hold the 2024 elections as scheduled.” He further suggested that if there were any issues regarding the February 8 elections, the courts would be available to address them.

Dar went on to highlight the cooperation between the government and PTI when it came to key appointments. “We appointed the person nominated by you, the chief election commissioner, and we made the individual you wanted chairman of NADRA,” he said, adding that the 2018 mandate had not been disputed at the time.

Addressing PTI’s actions around protests, he questioned why D-Chowk was specifically chosen for protests when other areas, such as Sangjani, were offered.

He pointed out that protests coincided with important events, including the visit of the Chinese Prime Minister and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) conference. He revealed that the Chinese ambassador had requested a postponement of protests, which PTI rejected.

Dar also commended JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for displaying statesmanship during the SCO summit. He lamented the non-election of 11 senators in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, calling it unfortunate.

The remarks come amid ongoing political tensions and questions surrounding the legitimacy of the current government, with PTI pushing for early elections.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 12 2024

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