The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leadership on Wednesday night deferred its decision to boycott the presidential election for today (Thursday) and decided that consultation process would be expanded to all opposition parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. A source said the consultative meeting of the PPP was held at the residence of Opposition Leader Syed Khurshid Shah and was attended by top PPP leaders, including Aitzaz Ahsan. The source said the PPP had made up its mind for boycotting the election but it wanted to convince the PTI, who had fielded Justice (r) Wajihuddin Ahmed for the slot. The source added that the consultation would also be made with PML-Q chief Shujaat, Jamat-e-Islami chief Syed Munawar Hassan, Qaumi Watan Party chief Aftab Sherpao and others. A consultative committee comprising Aitzaz Ahsan, Khurshid Shah and Rehman Malik has been formed to reach out to other political parties. “Those leaders who are available in capital would be approached by the PPP leaders personally while those out of city or country would be consulted through phone,” the source added. He said PPP Co-chairman President Asif Zardari was also contacted by phone during the meeting who advised the party leadership not to make a hasty decision and rather take all opposition parties along, including the MQM, PTI and others. The source said Khurshid Shah had been tasked with completing consultation by Thursday evening and the party and its allies would have a follow-up meeting in the evening to take a final decision. The source said Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan had proposed that all opposition parties who were affected due to certain decisions of the superior judiciary should be united on one platform so that a pressure wave could be created against the top judges. The source said that the meeting rejected a proposal to file a review petition with the Supreme Court against the court verdict over holding election on July 30, with Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan saying there was no hope of justice for the PPP from the bench. Following the meeting, Shah told reporters that the PPP leaders would visit Imran Khan for consultation, who was likely to arrive in the capital today. He said the consultation process was on with opposition parties and any decision would be taken with consensus. Shah added that the court had given no time to the opposition for campaigning in four provincial capitals, adding that contact had been made with Aftab Sherpao and Asfandyar Wali Khan. He alleged that there was a secret understanding between the election commission and PML-N for presidential election.
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