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| March 14, 2002 | Thursday | Zilhaj 29, 1422 |
Nation will reject ‘engineered results’: PPP holds workers’ convention
FAISALABAD, March 13: The government should refrain from installing a puppet government as the nation will not accept ‘engineered results’.
This was stated by PPP leaders while speaking at a workers’ convention at the outhouse of a local party leader here on Wednesday night.
They said the government had hatched a conspiracy to get elected ‘yes men’ who had been allowed to use government resources.
The government, they said, was patronizing a particular group of ‘corrupt’ politicians in violation of the election laws.
Khalid Kharal, PPP central working committee member, said the government-backed political and religious parties had illegally been allowed to hold conventions. Members of local councils, he claimed, were being pressurized to attend these conventions.
According to him, the government had completely failed in resolving people’s problems, but the electronic media was presenting ‘all well’ reports.
The PPP would not make any deal with the government and come into power through ballot, he added.
Former federal minister Ahmed Mukhtar said the PPP would field candidates against all national and provincial assembly seats and win the election with a thumping majority.
PPP secretary-general Raza Rabbani said the party would resist strongly any ‘negative’ step taken by the government and the entire responsibility would rest with the rulers.
He claimed that Benazir Bhutto would become prime minister third time as the PPP had deep roots among the masses.
Punjab PPP president Qasim Zia said efforts to amend the constitution would be foiled through street power and rulers would not be allowed to disgrace the politicians just to prolong their rule.
Zia said special computerized cells would be constituted to monitor the election arrangements and their results.
He alleged the present regime had failed in controlling escalating unemployment, price spiral, lawlessness and terrorism in the country.
Punjab secretary-general Rana Aftab said that final touches were being given to a comprehensive election policy under the ‘able guidance’ of Benazir Bhutto. He said only Benazir Bhutto had the knack to steer the country out of internal and external crises.
He claimed the party secretariat had so far received hundreds of applications from interested candidates for contesting election from the PPP platform. The chairperson would award party tickets to sincere and loyalist party workers after consulting with district presidents, he maintained.
PPP leaders Raja Riaz Ahmad, Chaudhry Muhammad Ilyas, Imran Murtaza Khan and others also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, PPP leaders were brought from Kamalpur to the venue in a big rally of cars, wagons, motorcycles and buses. The participants were carrying banners and portraits of Benazir Bhutto and late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.
Dozens of activists and leaders of the Malik Supreme Council, a body of the Malik biradri, joined the PPP on the occasion.
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