PPP, PTI castigate ECP, SC over presidential poll

Daily Times

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday accused the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and Supreme Court (SC) of negligence over the rescheduling of the presidential election unilaterally on the petition of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, with the former staging a walkout from the National Assembly. Announcing boycott of the presidential elections, PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim, however, offered to contest the election if the presidential poll is held on August 6, earlier announced by the ECP. PTI, on the other hand, stuck to its stance of taking part in the election for president for “strengthening the democratic process”. On the onset, speaking on a point of order‚ Makhdoom Amin Fahim alleged that advancing of the polling date amounted to pre-poll rigging and said July 30 is not acceptable to PPP, ANP, PML-Q and BNP-Awami. Fahim said that the ECP is an independent body and Supreme Court does not have authority to order it. “The weakness of the ECP has pushed the matter to the Supreme Court,” he opined. He acknowledged that the PPP and its allies do not have the required strength to win the election but they fielded Raza Rabbani to strengthen the democratic process and fulfil constitutional requirements. Fahim said that the Supreme Court unilaterally gave verdict on an application submitted by PML-N leader Raja Zafarul Haq and did not hear the presidential contenders or stakeholders. He appealed to Imran Khan to “hit a six” by announcing to boycott the presidential election, saying the opposition would be powerful if it is united. Meanwhile, PTI’ deputy parliamentary leader Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi while backing the viewpoint of the PPP declared that the PTI does not agree with its strategy. He held the ECP responsible for the controversy on the presidential election and said that the Supreme Court had also committed negligence by advancing the date of the election without hearing the parties concerned. Qureshi said that the PML-N and its allies have numerical superiority and the opposition was not in a position to get its candidate elected even if there were a unanimous candidate. tanveer ahmed