Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday expressed optimism that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz will bounce back in the next general elections and cited that the Punjab by-election results cannot be used to gauge PML-N’s popularity because party workers did not accept the candidates.

In a tweet, he said that “we have introspected on the results of the by-elections to address our shortcomings.”

The party will bounce back by outperforming its opponents in the next elections, he hoped.

In a separate tweet, he said state institutions should not be bothered by Imran Khan’s blackmailing and bullying, rather they should seek their legal options.

In the by-elections for the 20 constituencies of the Punjab Assembly, unofficial results confirmed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) victory on a majority of the seats.

Polling process in Punjab remains peaceful, claims Sanaullah

Soon after getting the results, PML-N supremo Mian Nawaz Sharif also made telephonic contact with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif from London and advised him to call party’s meeting Monday to take stock of the situation. PM Shehbaz agreed and the party summoned another meeting on Tuesday with the Pakistan Democratic Movement.

Following the win, Imran Khan demanded fresh elections in the country and cited that the current chief election commissioner was biased.

The PTI chairman stressed that the next general elections should not be held the way by-elections in Punjab were held.

PTI deal with IMF created problems for incumbent govt: Rana Sanaullah

“They used all the tactics to defeat us in Punjab by-polls. Police threatened our people. Officers acted as workers of PML-N,” he claimed.

“I am disappointed with the chief election commissioner. How could he let all this happen? He is not competent to run [the Election Commission of Pakistan].”