Discord on 58(2)b persists: Benazir

Published
0

LARKANA, Oct 27: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chief said on Saturday that differences with President Gen Pervez Musharraf over the Constitution’s Article 58(2)b — the power to dissolve assemblies — had yet to be resolved.

She was addressing a press conference at her Naudero residence on Saturday night.

Ms Bhutto called for the formation of a “neutral, caretaker set-up, an independent election commission” and curtailment in the powers of nazims before the general election.

She said the voters’ lists should be uploaded on the internet so that people could themselves check whether they had been enrolled or not.

“I have come here to bring about a change and to address the issues of empowerment, unemployment and education.”

She said the Constitution should “govern everything”.

In reply to a question, she said in the 2002 elections PPP had secured a majority of the vote, claiming that if “impartial elections” were held the party would again win by a big margin.

She expressed the hope that all political parties would unite against the government if the elections were rigged.

In reply to a question about the National Reconciliation Ordinance, the PPP leader said she would make no comment about allegations by the PML-Q leadership as “efforts for reconciliation are going on”.

The PPP chief said the ARD and APDM were one over the need for transparent elections and her party still respected the charter of democracy.

In reply to a question about the length of her stay in the country, Ms Bhutto said she would be staying in Pakistan, but due to lecture engagements abroad, she would be out of the country off and on.

Opinion

Editorial

Farming reform
Updated 06 Oct, 2026

Farming reform

Agriculture needs investment, but not another round of costly interventions.
Improved performance
06 Oct, 2026

Improved performance

THE recently concluded Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, were a revival of sorts for Pakistan, and a huge upgrade...
Mass surveillance
Updated 06 Oct, 2026

Mass surveillance

THE new National Cybercrime Investigation Agency chief, Ali Nasir Rizvi, has adopted a “zero-tolerance policy...
After the talks
Updated 05 Oct, 2026

After the talks

Considering how close they came to a solution, govt and opposition teams should reconvene to give the talks another chance.
Child safety online
Updated 05 Oct, 2026

Child safety online

Pakistani children are spending more of their lives online, but the safeguards around them are not keeping pace.
Rising public debt
05 Oct, 2026

Rising public debt

Pakistan’s public debt has surged by 76pc to Rs86.7tr in four years, according to a new government report.