Peace in country must for general poll: Kaira

ISLAMABAD (APP) - Adviser to the Prime Minister on Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira on Monday said it was necessary to have peace in the country to hold general elections as Imran Khan created chaos and uncertainty in the country.

Addressing a press conference, the PM’s aide said there was a debate sparked in the assemblies, media and decision-making circles due to the postponement of provincial assembly elections in Punjab.

Kaira said that there was an uncertain situation in the country which was at its peak. "The first goal during such situation was to make decisions with logic and reason. At present, the problems faced by the country demands d the stakeholders to take decisions with patience, vision and tolerance," he added.

He regretted that on the contrary, everyone was trying to defeat his or her opponents either it was in the departments or media. "The reality has gone obscure and people were left directionless. The elections in the two provinces were postponed and a huge hue and cry was made on it and termed it a major constitutional violation by the Opposition," he maintained.

Kaira said that the coalition parties tried to stop Imran Khan from dissolving the assemblies of Kyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab but it failed. “The powers whatsoever enshrined in the constitution are based on some logic and demands from the one who exercise to use it prudently,” he added.

He claimed that the Punjab Assembly dissolved by the then CM Pervaiz Elahi was not carried out as per his own will rather on Imran Khan’s whims. That decision, he said, was not based on Elahi’s own free will, adding, “the election process involves security deployment, management of electoral staff, finances from the Ministry of finance which is a complete exercise,” he said.

"The ECP categorically stated that it was not able to provide mass level staff deployment to hold elections," he said.

He mentioned that national census was underway in the country and teams were in the field across the country. "The departments concerned informed that due to census staff was not available. The census is held after 10 years but this time it is being held after seven years. It has been decided in the CCI under then Prime Minister Imran Khan to hold census in a more transparent and fair manner. So that, new polls are to be held under the new census,” he added.

"The ECP wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, apprising him on the fact that the departments concerned had denied aid to hold polls on April 30 due to the census and law and order situation in the country," he added.  

He said that the PM convened the cabinet meeting that endorsed the situation and the ECP in the light of those facts had delayed the elections.