KARACHI: The central executive committee (CEC) of the Pakistan People’s Party on Sunday condemned US drone strikes and called for the implementation of the decisions of the All Parties Conference (APC).

In a press release issued on Sunday, PPP spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the CEC meeting, chaired by former president Asif Ali Zardari, condemned militancy and extremism in all its forms and manifestations.

The meeting discussed the current political situation in the country including the fight against militancy, dialogue with the militants in the light of APC decisions and the difficulties faced by the people as a result of poor law and order situation, continued power crisis and increasing inflation, the press release said.

It further added that issues relating to local bodies polls and laws to strengthen anti-terror legislative framework were also discussed at the CEC meeting.

The meeting underlined the need for all political forces in the country to work towards strengthening democracy and thwart any attempt to weaken the democratic processes and institutions.

The meeting also called for holding of party-based local bodies (LB) elections in all provinces and further decided to pursue the goal of party-based LB polls at all available forums.

The PPP CEC meeting also discussed the recent draft legislations purported to further strengthen anti-terrorism laws.

“The meeting cautioned against hasty and thoughtless legislation that militated against human rights of citizens and decided to resist any move that undermined the people’s basic rights,” the release added.

The PPP leaders also offered greetings to the Hindu community of Pakistan on the occasion of Diwali.

PPP to go for LB polls

After the meeting, Senator Raza Rabbani said that the party has already approached the Election Commission of Pakistan and the Lahore High Court regarding party-less LB polls in Punjab.

Rabbani further said that the PPP is being restructured and Zardari will go all over the country for this purpose.

Talking about the killing of Tehrik-i-Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud in a drone strike, he said that PPP had attended the APC called by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), adding: “We are still standing by our decisions that were taken that day.”

PPP considers drone attacks to be an infringement on Pakistan’s sovereignty.

PPP information secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira said that LB polls should be held on party basis all over the country.

Responding to a question about the privatisation of important national assets, he said that the issue will be raised in the Council for Common Interest session.

Meanwhile, PPP leader and former prime minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani said that the party will support every decision of the PML-N government that supports the country but will never support any unconstitutional decisions.