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FAISALABAD, Jan 31: The Pakistan People’s Party has urged the government to lift ban on political activities so that parties can start their campaign for the next general elections.
At a meeting held here on Thursday under the presidentship of Punjab PPP president Qasim Zia, party leaders and office-bearers decided to accelerate the pace of enrolment campaign.
The meeting also urged President Musharraf to invite Benazir Bhutto for discussing national affairs.
Qasim Zia said the PPP would take part in general elections with full enthusiasm. He said the nomination of candidates would be approved by the central command after discussion with local leaders.
Punjab PPP secretary-general Rana Aftab Ahmad said instructions had been issued by chairperson Benazir Bhutto for holding workers conventions, rallies and corner meetings in all rural and urban areas to explain party manifesto to voters.
District president Chaudhry Ilyas, city president Imran Murtaza and office holders of various allied wings of the PPP demanded the rulers to withdraw all concocted cases and references against party leaders.
NO ALLIANCE: The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) will not make any election alliance with the Pakistan People’s Party.
This was stated by Punjab PML-N vice-president Chaudhry Safdar Rehman, former chairman of the Standing Committee for Commerce in National Assembly Mian Abdul Mannan and ex-MPA Rana Muhammad Afzal Khan while talking to newsmen here on Thursday.
They said party chief Nawaz Sharif had refused to form an election group with the PPP and asked the leaders and workers to send suggestions and recommendations so that a feasible election policy could be announced.
They said the PML would field its candidates for all provincial and national assembly seats if the central leadership decided to contest the polls. The traitors would not be accepted in the PML-N fold at any cost and new and young blood would be preferred to join the party and contest elections under its umbrella, they said.
They said the PML had joined the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy only for building pressure on military rulers to restore democracy.
They alleged that a conspiracy was being hatched by the rulers to ‘select’ their favourites for the top slot and the drama of elections would be staged to befool the people.
