ISLAMABAD, Dec 27: The People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) has indicated that it may change its strategy and boycott the forthcoming general elections, if it gets information about government’s moves to rig the poll.
Speaking at a press conference, PPP Secretary-General Raja Pervez Ashraf said his party intended to take part in the elections even in the presence of a president in military uniform and did not want to leave the arena for its political opponents. He, however, said the strategy might be changed if measures were taken by the government to “steal the elections”.
He warned that “chaos would rule” the country if the upcoming elections were hijacked and said those who resorted to rigging would vanish in such a case. He referred to the statement made by a European Parliament member, Nina Gill, warning of sanctions against Pakistan in case the polls were rigged. “The political forces of Pakistan welcome the statement,” he remarked.
He said the world had started understanding that absence of democracy breeds different kinds of problems. He said the government had failed on all fronts and was unable to control problems of price-hike and unemployment. He said the people affected by last year’s earthquake were also facing numerous problems with a large number of people still forced to live under open sky. He said cheques of compensation given to the affected people were still being dishonoured.
He said, according to the Transparency International, corruption in Pakistan continued to grow over the last three years.
The PPP secretary-general said his party will come into power through the power of the ballot and not as a result of a deal. “We do not believe in coming into power through the back-door or deals”.
He brushed aside the impression that the meeting between PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto and PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain had something to do with any deal. He said it was a chance meeting at a wedding ceremony and not a bilateral political meeting.
He said the government itself made claims about “secret talks” and “a possible deal” with the PPP, but realised that it could cost too much as many of the ruling party parliamentarians had started finding way into the PPP fold.
He said the PML-N was an ally of the PPP in the ARD. He said the PPP had decided to bury the past when the ARD was formed. He said both parties wanted to see the restoration of true democracy in the country.
He said under the Charter of Democracy, ARD components have decided not to enter into any deal with the present government. He said the government would never succeed in dividing the ARD.
He said there was no room in the party for those who caused harm to democracy in the country and betrayed the party. He ruled out the possibility of `Patriots’ joining the party again.
He said the PPP will be holding a grand public meeting at Liaquat Bagh, Rawalpindi, on January 14, 2007 against dictatorship, price hike, unemployment and failed government policies.
He said he will use the forum to make a personal request to Benazir Bhutto to land in Rawalpindi when she comes back to Pakistan before the polls.
Answering a question, he said the PPP condemns all political statements made by President General Pervez Musharraf. He said under the constitution, the President cannot support a specific political party.
He said the PPP does not recognise Gen Pervez Musharraf as the constitutional head of the state.
