HYDERABAD, Oct 1: The chairman of Awami Qayadat Party (AQP), Mirza Aslam Baig, has said that the task of the voters in the Oct 10 general election had become easier as they had to choose only between two political forces — pro-status quo and anti-status quo.

He was speaking at a meet-the-press programme at the local press club on Tuesday.

He said the political forces which believed in the status quo such as the PML(Q), the National Alliance, etc., were in favour of the continuation of the policies of the government whereas the PPP, the PML(N), the MMA and his own party were opposed to these policies and wanted a change.

He believed that the people by and large would support the anti-status quo forces.

Mr Baig said that it was indeed a happy augury that for the first time in Pakistan’s history six major parties had united on one platform, and added that the religious parties would also be adequately represented in the assemblies which would help eliminate confrontation and tension.

Analyzing the present situation, he said two events had affected the thinking of the general public the most; people had become anti-America because of its polices in Afghanistan and pressuring Pakistan regarding it, and the deployment of tens of thousands of Indian solders on the Line of Control (LoC).

He said there had been a deep understanding between America and India even before the former had unleashed its forces against Afghanistan. He said America seemed to have assured India that after it had achieved its objectives in Afghanistan, it would take over the control of Pakistan’s nuclear programme.