Pakistan to hold next elections ‘on time’ after August 2023: Prime Minister Sharif

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that the next general elections in the South Asian nation “will be held on time,” that is after August 2023.

“Let me make it absolutely clear that the next elections will be held on time,” Sharif told Anadolu Agency in an interview.

He was responding to questions about his predecessor and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s demand for early elections.

“This government came into being through a constitutional process and enjoys the mandate of the people of Pakistan,” Sharif said.

“The term of the current National Assembly will end in August 2023 to be followed by the establishment of an interim government that will hold elections,” the Pakistani prime minister explained.

The present coalition government has "representation of all political parties of the country except the PTI and is busy dealing with the issues of great importance,” Sharif said.

Notably, Khan said on Saturday his party has decided to resign from all provincial assemblies, a move seen as a fresh bid to push the government for early elections in the country.

Sharif paid a two-day official visit to Türkiye on Friday at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

On Friday, Sharif and President Erdogan jointly inaugurated the third of four MILGEM corvette ships manufactured by Türkiye for the Pakistan Navy at the Istanbul Shipyard.