LAHORE, Jan 21: President of Pakistan Muslim League Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Monday rejected a demand for a national government, saying it is “based on mala fide intentions and is totally uncalled for”.
Talking to newsmen at his residence here, he said the demand for setting up a national government after the announcement of the election schedule was totally uncalled for and was made by those who wanted to sabotage the peaceful election process.
The demand was also “undemocratic and was tantamount to pre-empting the right of the winner to form government”. Those who lose elections should stay calm and not become a tool in the hands of anti-social elements.
He said: “The Yaum-i-Ashur has passed peacefully and a peaceful atmosphere will also be maintained on Feb 18 so that people can vote in a free, fair and transparent manner.”
He asked all parties to unite on a code of conduct so that the polls could be held in a peaceful manner.
He said that a negative propaganda against the PML-Q “about dearth of candidates is belied by the ground realities”.
He claimed the PML-Q was the only party having roots in all the four provinces and it had fielded candidates in all the provinces and had entered into seat adjustment agreements at several places.
It may be recalled that the Election Commission had called a meeting of all political parties to discuss the code of conduct but only the PML (Q) and a few other parties attended the meeting but several major political parties did not.
He said the PML was ready to sit with other political parties for finalising the code of conduct for the polls.
Answering a question, Chaudhry Shujaat said that alliance with any political party would be made after the elections and not before. He said a few political parties were levelling baseless allegations against the PML (Q) leadership about pre-poll rigging. When the elections are yet to be held yet the question of rigging does not arise.
Answering a question about the shortage of flour, he claimed that the crisis was almost over and the situation would be under control in a few days.
About the turnout of votes in the general elections, he said that it would not be less than 40 per cent.
