ISLAMABAD  - Federal Minister for Finance Muhammad Ishaq Dar Sunday said backing out of a written Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) signed with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on the polls inquiry, does not suit PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
Both the parties while constituting the General Election-2013 Inquiry Commission (GEIC) had agreed that in case the GEIC determined that the election results did not reflect the true mandate of the people, the national and provincial assemblies would be dissolved and fresh general election would be held. Otherwise, all the PTI's allegations over the veracity of the election would stand withdrawn. Talking to a news channel, the minister said Imran Khan's comments after the report of GEIC were 'disappointing.'
He said accepting the GEIC report was binding on both the PTI and PML-N, adding that it was unfair to accept and raise objections simultaneously. Dar said that the PTI chairman would have to mend his ways as he was the leader of a political party, adding that Imran did not stand by the agreement. He said Imran was asking to put the condition of 30 days for the commission to submit its report, but it was the PML-N that convinced the PTI chairman for a 45-day time-frame.
Expressing his astonishment, the minister said now Imran Khan was criticizing the commission that it disappointed him by not prolonging the time-frame. The government, he said, had constituted a Parliamentary Electoral Reforms Committee last year to bring improvement in the existing election system, which has so far held 35 meetings. To a question, Ishaq Dar said efforts would be made to remove complaints about the Election Commission of Pakistan, as improving the existing election system was part of the PML's manifesto.
PTI investors group, a real dilemma for IK: Kirmani
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Dr. Asif Kirmani Sunday said that the investors group in the ranks of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf had put its chairman Imran Khan in a state of quandary.
In a statement, Dr. Kirmani advised the PTI chairman to accept his faults by showing sportsmanship spirit and divert his energies and attention towards progress and prosperity of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The reservations expressed by Imran Khan after acceptance of Inquiry Commission's report was beyond comprehension, he wondered.
Dr Kirmani further said that as they had exhibited patience during PTI's sit-ins, in the similar spirit, the chairman should also patiently wait for the general elections to be held in 2018.