Tuesday, May 14, 2013

ANP to chalk out future game plan on 16th

After reviewing the causes of its poor election results and chalking out a future plan of action, the Awami National Party will issue new guidelines on May 16, the party’s provincial office-bearers said in a meeting on Sunday. A meeting of ANP Sindh’s think tank was convened at the party’s provincial headquarters, the Mardan House, to review the post-election situation. ANP Sindh President Shahi Syed chaired the meeting that was attended by all district presidents and secretaries of the nationalist party. The participants of the meeting said though the party had reservations over how it was kept away from conducting election campaigns as well as over the election results, the ANP had accepted its defeat. They expressed concern over non-issuance of poll results of Karachi’s constituencies. ANP East District President Younus Buneri said the party’s think tank had also taken notice of independent reports of rigging during polling in the city. The members said that it was shocking that the majority of the voters claimed of rigging during the voting process, but the Election Commission of Pakistan has yet to take the issue seriously. They said the ANP Sindh had fielded a number of candidates for the national and provincial assembly seats, and the party was likely to win PA seats from Keamari, SITE and Landhi, but they were still unaware of the situation in those areas. Buneri said: “We have decided to raise the issue in the party’s central committee meeting to be held in Islamabad on Monday (today). We want to know why the election results from Karachi have not been released by the ECP. If there are technical reasons for the delay, then we have the right to know.” In response to a question, he said the ANP had congratulated those who won in the elections, and hoped that they would deliver on their promises made during their election campaigns. Members of the party’s think tank said: “ANP was not allowed to conduct their election campaigns anywhere in the country, which was one of the main reasons of its failure in the polls.” Similar meetings were held in all provinces of the country, where reports were submitted to the central leadership who would review and discuss them during the meeting in Islamabad. The likelihood of demanding re-election was also discussed in the meeting, but the demand would be made only if the party leadership deems it fit.

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