APDM meeting on polls tomorrow: PPP’s stance hits opposition unity
By Ashraf Mumtaz
LAHORE, Nov 22: Leaders of the All Parties Democratic Movement, believed to have been jolted by PPP’s decision to contest the Jan 8 elections, will be meeting in Islamabad on Saturday to decide whether to take part in the polls.
And if they decided to boycott they will also work out a plan to block the electoral process and launch a movement against Gen Pervez Musharraf.
“We hope we will be able to take a collective decision,” said an APDM leader.
With the PPP’s decision to take part in the elections, though under protest, Ms Bhutto’s initiative to forge a united opposition front for a struggle to oust President Musharraf appears to have been shelved.
The PPP chairperson said about a week ago that she had contacted opposition politicians, including Nawaz Sharif, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Asfandyar Wali and Hasil Bizenjo to persuade them to agree on a common minimum agenda of restoration of democracy and the Constitution and to launch a united struggle from one platform.
Parties in the APDM take the PPP’s decision as a setback for efforts to unite the opposition.
The PML-N, Jamaat-i-Islami and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf held a round of talks in Islamabad on Wednesday to discuss options in case some more parties in what was once known the anti-Musharraf camp decided to join the electoral race.
According to a leader who attended the meeting, the three parties could form their own alliance and also take in other parties agreeing not to join hands with the dictatorial set-up.
The Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party of Mehmood Khan Achakzai is also opposed to taking part in the elections in the prevailing situation.
With judges of the superior courts deposed, the PCO and emergency rule in place and the Election Commission being far from an independent body, even the thought of taking part in elections would amount to betraying the people of Pakistan, Mr Achakzai said while talking to Dawn.
“Morally, all parties are duty-bound to boycott the elections”.
The Awami National Party appears to be double-minded at present.
According to a central leader of the party, the ANP would boycott the elections if other major parties did the same.
However, he said, if parties like the PPP, the JUI, and PPP-Sherpao contested, the ANP could not afford to boycott the process.
The party is expected to take a final decision on Friday.
The Pakistan Democratic Party is also opposed to taking part in the elections and its secretary-general Nawaz Gondal says the atmosphere is not conducive to elections.
