Asif Zardari only obstacle in early polls: Sheikh Rasheed

• Government has sought help from institutions to stop the long march, says Sheikh Rasheed.
• Economists are being called for interviews for caretaker Prime Minister, he says.
• Sheikh Rasheed says nation has taken a stand for a sense of honour, self-respect and independent foreign policy.

Awami Muslim League Chief Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Tuesday predicted elections in September and said everyone is ready for the early polls except Azif Zardari, Geo News reported.

Sheikh Rasheed's statement came at a time when PTI chairman Imran Khan is mounting pressure on the government for early polls, in a bid to force the government for elections, Imran Khan has given a long march date in Multan jalsa scheduled for May 20.

On the other hand, the newly formed government is under pressure due to the economic situation as the dollar keeps reaching historic highs daily, however, the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government has decided to complete its constitutional tenure till August 2023.

Speaking on Geo News Programme Aaj Shahzaib Khanzada Kay Saath, Sheikh Rasheed said that MQM-P had already said that they were heading towards elections and BAP would also take its decision in a couple of days.

"Fazlur Rehman is also ready for elections and there is a partition in PML-N on early polls, but only Asif Zardari has taken a stand against early elections," he said.

In an apparent reference to the establishment or the power quarters in the country, the ex-interior minister claimed that the government had asked for a guarantee from institutions to let it complete the rest of the constitutional term of 1.5 years.

"The government has asked institutions for help to stop the long march, but they have denied to side with the government," he added.

While predicting elections in September, Sheikh Rasheed went on to say that economists are being called for interviews in Rawalpindi and Islamabad for the post of caretaker Prime Minister.

"The country’s intelligence agencies are aware of the current situation and they want to fix this turmoil," adding that "the majority of agencies are in favour of early polls. However, Asif Zardari is the only obstacle to early elections."

Sheikh Rasheed said that the nation had forgotten about inflation, including all issues of Imran Khan’s tenure, and had taken a stand for a sense of honour, self-respect, and independent foreign policy.

"Now this is the war of self-possession, autonomy, and independent foreign policy vs. impudence and flattery," he added.