Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the nation on Thursday to end speculations on any extension to the government on the ground whatsoever.
The address broadcast on television live in which the premier said he was given the sacred responsibility of running the country in last year April.
“We will hand over this responsibility to the caretaker set-up in August 2023.”
PM Shehbaz had made a similar announcement yesterday as well, in which he declared that the term of his government would end next month. However, he did not clear the confusion about whether the coalition partners would go for the normal dissolution of the National Assembly on completion of its term on August 12, or he would advise the president for an early dissolution.
In his address, PM Shehbaz recalled that the incumbent government, in just 15 months, had undone the mess caused by the PTI in the last four years.
He said the coalition had sacrifices its politics for the state and had successfully reached an arrangement with the IMF.
The premier also thanked Pakistan’s brotherly countries such as China, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for playing a “praise-worthy role” in bringing the country out of economic crises. He also lauded the efforts rendered by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Army Chief Gen Asim Munir in this regard.
PM Shehbaz reiterated that the nation had just one path in front of it and that was to “break the begging bowl” to be financially viable.
He said that these shackles could only be broken off if the nation believed in hard work, fulfilled its promises, and served the country with sincerity.
The PM also called out the opposition for hatching conspiracies against the country, bringing the economy on verge of default by violating agreement with the IMF and contributing to political instability.
