Elections in Pakistan will be held in August 2023, says Marriyum Aurangzeb

`I am giving you the election date, carefully listen and note it down: elections will be held in August 2023,` said Marriyum Aurangzeb hitting out at Imran Khan.

Islamabad: Pakistan`s Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Saturday (May 28) said that the next elections in Pakistan will be held in August 2023 and no negotiations will be done with Imran Khan while she slammed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for chaos during the recent protest march. Addressing a press conference, Marriyum, while hitting out at Imran Khan, said, "There could not be negotiations with you. As you demanded the election date, I am giving you the election date, carefully listen and note it down: elections will be held in August 2023."

"When we used to call for talks on economy, Covid-19 pandemic, FATF and the national security matters, you used to say, `I will not give an NRO (national reconciliation ordinance, which proposes amnesty to politicians)`. Imran Khan Sahib! Today, no NRO will be given to you," The News quoted Marriyum as saying.

Marrriyum`s comment came as a response to Imran Khan`s address to a conference in Peshawar. "There could not be negotiations with you. As you demanded the election date, I am giving you the election date, carefully listen and note it down: elections will be held in August 2023," she added.

The Minister criticised Imran Khan`s statements during his press conference and said that he was in a critical state of mind further adding, "Imran should take `peace medicine` and let the people of Pakistan rest." While condemning the recent violence during the protest march of Imran Khan, Marriyum said that the Supreme Court had allowed Imran Khan to hold a protest at H-9 ground but they did not do it there. She pointed out that if the protest was supposed to be peaceful, then why there was violence, The News reported.

She continued that all parties hold protest from the PDM platform but never harmed anyone. Even after the Supreme Court verdict, they (PTI) set a metro station on fire and damaged government property. "It is not a democratic right to protest by possessing weapons," Marriyum said.

Addressing the PTI chairman, she said, "You attacked PTV in the last sit-in and extended congratulations and carried out activities against political opponents. You called/invited your people and kept sitting in the helicopter. Lakhs of rupees were given to your lawmakers, yet they could not bring out a few people".

Marriyum accused Imran of gross violations of the Constitution and also the president, deputy speaker and Punjab governor who violated the Constitution and the courts had to open doors at night in the wake of such constitutional violations, The News reported. She argued that the Supreme Court also gave its decision on the violation of the Constitution.

"If you storm, damage property, you have no right to protest. Now if you make preparations for a hundred years or lie, the people are not with you. You failed to rule in four years, lied, and could not prove any charge against political opponents. The people of Pakistan are no longer with you," Marriyum said.