Despite the six-day ultimatum given by Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan to the Shehbaz Sharif government for announcing fresh elections, the government said Khan’s dictation tactics will not work and the national assembly will decide when to hold elections. 

The government also passed a bill, reversing Khan’s controversial election-related reforms, including allowing voting rights to overseas voters and the use of EVMs, or electronic voting machines.

Khan, who was leading what was supposed to be an indefinite sit-in in the capital Islamabad on Thursday called off his protest, hours after it entered the capital.

“I am giving you six days….If you don’t do it after six days, I will return,” he said, demanding the government dissolve the national and provincial assemblies and announce the date for early elections.

However, the government, despite coming under intense pressure, seems to be putting on a brave face in the wake of protests by the Imran Khan. The former prime minister who was voted out of power in April through a no-confidence motion terms his ouster a “foreign conspiracy” of regime change, backed by the United States and supported by his domestic political rivals. The US has strongly denied the charge.

In a statement on Thursday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, "I want to clarify to the leader of this group (PTI), your dictation won't work. This house will decide when to hold elections." The government, however, is open to talks but will not tolerate blackmailing, he added.

His remark came a day after violent clashes erupted between the police and Khan’s supporters during the protest march the permission of which the government had canceled on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the National Assembly also passed a bill disallowing overseas voting rights and the use of the EVMs in elections, reversing the two key, but controversial, elections reforms earlier introduced by the Khan’s government.

Since coming to power in April, the Sharif coalition government has been facing two key challenges: first, from a belligerent Imran Khan; second, the country's deteriorating economic situation.

Unfortunately, there seems to be no easy and short-term solutions for either problem.

A few weeks back, the country’s powerful military had refused to take sides in the ongoing tussle, claiming it remains “neutral” in domestic political matters. 

However, the military is said to be concerned about the deteriorating economy.

A report in The News International said that the military was in touch with both political sides, and had even facilitated backdoor talks. The primary concern for the military, as per the report, is to take two parties onboard on the country’s approach to get the IMF program going.

(SAM)