Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday ruled out the possibility of early elections, saying that it is important for the assemblies to complete their term for the democracy's survival.
Speaking during an interview with international media, Bilawal said that PTI Chairman Imran Khan's demand for early elections is a political agenda. He said that the coalition parties are working together to solve the issues, adding that a deteriorated economy was passed on by the previous government to the incumbent one.
"The former government's failed foreign policy has isolated us from the entire world," said the foreign minister. He added that the incumbent government was looking for solutions to internal problems and consensus at the international level.
He said in order to address the challenges inherited from the previous government, it was essential that the whole country get united as no single political party or individual could address the situation alone.
Rubbishing the accusations of a US conspiracy behind the removal of Khan's government, Bilawal said the political leaders were supposed to speak the truth to their people instead of coming up with such conspiracy theories.
He told the interviewer that it was for the first time that a prime minister was removed constitutionally through a vote of confidence, not through a coup or court order.
When asked about the early elections, Bilawal said instead of furthering democracy, the early elections would instead further Khan’s agenda. He said it was important for the assemblies to complete their term unless there was any urgency which currently was not there.
To a question, the foreign minister said that the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIJOK) was an unfinished agenda. "Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s election, the space for Muslims in India as well as Kashmir was shrinking," he added.
He said the people of Pakistan and Indian want to live in peace. In order to achieve that, it was essential to respect international laws and conventions to address the issue of terrorism and extremism.
Speaking about Afghanistan, the foreign minister said Pakistan was engaging with the war-torn country in the interest of its own as well as the neighbourhood.
However, he said the Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had been involved in terror attacks in the past which were still going on.
He said Pakistan would work with the Afghan government to address the challenge posed by the terrorist outfits.
