October 14, 2002	Monday	Sha'aban 7, 1423

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which emerged as the second largest party in parliament, said on Sunday that ideological differences with religio-political parties would make coalition-building difficult.

A senior party official said the PPP, which won 62 seats in the National Assembly in the last week’s election, had differences with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), a group of six religious parties which gained 51 seats in parliament.

“We have ideological differences with the MMA,” PPP Secretary-General Raza Rabbani told Reuters.

“But on the question of restoration of democracy, supremacy of the parliament and the restoration of the Constitution of 1973, we are open for dialogue with all political parties.”

The PPP may find it difficult to cobble together a coalition either with the MMA or with the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), which won 77 seats and was dubbed the “king’s party” for its perceived backing of Musharraf.

“If there is an understanding at all (with the MMA) it will be limited to the extent of the joint purpose (of restoring democracy) because our perceptions on national security and foreign policy are very different.”

“Any alliance with the ‘king’s party’ seems vague and a distant prospect,” he said. “Nonetheless, our doors are open for negotiations if they want to come with us.”

The PML(Q), despite the support of many independent candidates, will likely be forced to enter an uneasy coalition with either the PPP, Musharraf’s most vocal critic, or with the hardline Islamic parties.

Political analysts believe its first choice would be religious parties with whom it had worked in the past.

RESULTS:Meanwhile, the PPP leader demanded of the Election Commission (EC) to immediately announce the unofficial results of all those constituencies held back without any reason, adds Our Staff Reporter.

“Polling was held three days ago but still there was a great confusion about the number of seats won by different political parties, Mian Rabbani told a press conference.

Renewing allegations of rigging, the PPP leader said the results of remote and far-flung areas of Balochistan and NWFP had reached the EC but they had not received the results from some constituencies of Sindh.

He termed it as a sheer discrimination and a reflection of traditional hatred against PPP.

He accused the regime of manipulating the results and said it would have serious consequence for the stability of the country.

He said he had tried in vain to contact Chief Election Commissioner for getting the unofficial results of all the constituencies.

He claimed that PPP had won over 130 seats in the National Assembly but the regime manipulated the results and reduced their seats of 63.

The efforts were being made to the manipulate th mandate given to PPP by the people through pen and the computer.

The European Union election observers mission, he pointed out, had substantiated their claims of rigging before, after and on the election day.

The PPP, he said, would take legal course if the EC did not announce results of remaining constituencies forthwith.