LAHORE: The PML-N’s presidential candidate, Mamnoon Husain, alleged on Monday that the PPP had boycotted the election in a bid to bring the judiciary under pressure.

Talking to reporters at the Lahore airport, he said the boycott was aimed at putting pressure on the judiciary before it took up (corruption) cases against the PPP leadership. He said the PPP leadership knew that since there was ample evidence, the court’s verdicts could be against them. Hence, as a pre-emptive measure, they have started maligning the judiciary.

He said the PPP should have contested the election for the sake of continuity of democracy. Staying away from the process is not a good precedent.

The former Sindh governor, who had come to the city to address a meeting of the PML-N’s parliamentary party in the Punjab Assembly, claimed that he enjoyed majority in all electoral houses and was sure to win the election.

Mr Hussain said he would try to be a symbol of federation and prefer to be known as president of the whole country. In reply to a question, he said one must work under a system instead of accepting dictation or coming under pressure.

Asked about the fate of condemned prisoners, he said he would not forgive anyone who had been handed down a verdict after due legal process. But he hastened to add that since the execution of condemned prisoners had become quite an issue, he would take civil society and other quarters concerned on board before taking a decision.

At least 400 condemned prisoners in different jails are waiting for a decision about their fate after President Asif Ali Zardari kept pending all mercy petitions during his five-year term in the presidency.

The last PPP government had given a commitment to the international community that it would not undertake any execution during its tenure.

Addressing the parliamentary party’s meeting, Mr Husain said he would discharge his duty in accordance with the constitution. “It is a good omen that the democratic process is being accomplished in a democratic way,” he added.