KARACHI, Dec 25: The Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) on Tuesday formally announced a seat-adjustment accord for a national assembly seat and a provincial assembly seat in the metropolis for January 8, 2008 general elections, sending a clear message to the rivals that they mean business and are determined to put up a strong resistance to the ruling party.
The accord was announced by Sindh PPP Secretary General Nafees Siddiqui while addressing a news conference at the Karachi Press Club where candidates of both parties were also present besides N.D. Khan, Waqar Mehdi and Rashid Rabbani.
Under the arrangement, PML(N) candidate Salim Zia for NA-250 and PS-113 will stand retired from the national assembly constituency in favour of PPP candidate Dr Ikhtiar Baig while the PPP will reciprocate by withdrawing its ticket holder Zulfiqar Qaimkhani from PS-113 constituency in favour of PML(N) leader Salim Zia.
As a result of the adjustment, Mr Baig will now challenge Khushbakht Shujaat of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in NA-250 constituency.
In the 2002 general elections, the seat was won by Abdul Sattar Afghani of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal. After his demise, MQM candidate Akhlaq Hussain Abdi had returned successful from the national assembly seat against Nafees Siddiqui of the PPP in a by-election early this year.
In PS-113 constituency, Syed Akhtar Mehdi Bilgrami of the MQM had won the seat in 2002 general elections. Following the adjustment with the PPP now, Salim Zia of the PML(N) will fight for the seat against Askari Taqvi of the MQM.
More accords likely
Nafees Siddiqui declared that negotiations were in process for similar adjustments with the PML(N) and other democracy-loving parties in other parts of the province. He said that the coming election was crucial for Pakistan and any attempt to subvert its transparency would have a fatal effect on the country’s integrity. He said that people not only within the country but across the world were watching the developments in Pakistan because they were fully aware of its consequences for them and the region.
He said that the PPP was contesting elections despite the fact that its demand for an independent election commission had not been met and it had serious concerns over transparency of the elections, because it did no want to leave the field open for the ruling coalition to steal the elections by alleged rigging.
He said that PML(N) chief Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif rightly acknowledged Benazir Bhutto’s decision to go into elections. He said the understanding between the two leaders was not for who would be the next prime minister but to join hands to launch a struggle against the usurpers if the elections were rigged.
The PPP leader said that the current battle was between the liberal and democratic forces, the latter struggling for the supremacy of the parliament, the independent judiciary, democratic dispensations and wanted governance according to the vision of Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. The liberal forces who were opposed to the Quaid’s principles had subverted the constitution and the freedom of people.
Expressing concern over the law and order situation, he alleged that the government had planned to impose a force of ‘hoodlums’ to harass people and rig the elections. He reiterated the party’s demand for inducting troops and paramilitary force on election duty. He apprehended that Thatta, Badin, Sanghar, Jacobabad, Kashmor and Khairpur could be more volatile due to alleged rigging plans of the regime. PML(N) Salim Zia welcomed the decision on seat adjustment and hoped that this would help putting up a formidable challenge to their rivals. He was optimist that the understanding developed with the PPP would be maintained even after the general elections.
PPP candidate Zulfiqar Qaimkhahi said that he was withdrawing in accordance with the party’s decision.
