KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has not categorically rejected the results of the July 25 elections, but ‘questioned’ the electoral process and credibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan which had “failed” to meet its responsibility.

During a press conference at Bilawal House on Thursday, PPP leaders responded to queries in a measured tone when asked about the possibility of the party’s alliance with the majority party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, its expected response to a protest call of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman and his remarks over the election results.

“It would be too early to accept or reject the election results,” said Sherry Rehman, the senior party leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. “But we have already raised the question over the elections and its results. In fact we have been raising voice well before the election about the pre-poll rigging in some cases. Even we raised the issue in the Senate days before the elections.”

Party meeting to discuss situation will be held today

Right now, she said, the PPP wanted the ECP to decide the process under which the elected parliament coming into being was justified or not. She said the delayed results, non-availability of Form-45 and keeping polling agents away from the process were more than enough facts to question the overall electoral process.

“We have shared with the media the details of all this mismanagement whether it’s in KP, Punjab or Sindh. But we are extremely concerned about the electoral process in constituencies of our chairman [Bilawal Bhutto Zardari] where the results are being delayed without any reason. This could make this election extremely controversial,” said Ms Rehman.

Meanwhile, the PPP called a meeting jointly presided over by Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to discuss the situation on Friday.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2018