The Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) presidential candidate, Raza Rabbani, has said the Supreme Court’s decision to change the schedule of the presidential polls was “an attack on the federation”. PPP leaders remained busy on Thursday as they approached various political parties asking for their support for the party’s presidential candidate. A delegation of the party, headed by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khurshid Shah, held separate meetings with leaders of the PML-Q, the ANP, the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F). Talking to reporters after meeting ANP leader Asfandyar Wali Khan, Rabbani said the SC’s verdict was an attack on the federation as the court had ignored the provincial assemblies. Rabbani told the reporters that he had been meeting leaders of various political parties to chalk out a strategy on whether to go along with the elections or boycott them. He said an impression had been given that the electoral college for the presidential poll was only present in Islamabad while “the fact of the matter is that all four provincial assemblies are included in the electoral college”. Rabbani said the new schedule did not provide enough time for him to carry out a proper campaign, adding that it would be impossible for him to visit all the provincial headquarters and meet the members of parliament. “I am a presidential candidate but I was not served any notice pertaining to hearing the plea seeking a change in the poll date,” he said. Rabbani said the SC, on the petition by the PML-N, gave a one-sided decision without hearing the other parties. “The Supreme Court even gave the schedule of the presidential elections,” he added. Addressing the reporters, Asfandyar said the ANP would support the PPP’s decision if it boycotted the presidential elections. He asked was it the Supreme Court’s constitutional domain to announce the schedule of the presidential elections? “If the answer is yes then there is no need to have an election commission.” Meanwhile, after his meeting with Khurshid Shah, Shujaat told reporters that if the opposition parties failed to reach a consensus on the issue, the PML-Q lawmakers would abstain from voting on July 30. According to a source, the PML-Q leadership urged the opposition leader to set aside their differences and agree on a joint candidate for the presidential elections. When contacted, PML-Q Information Secretary Kamil Ali Agha said his party had decided to support only a joint candidate of the opposition parties. "We want a joint candidate of the opposition parties. We had made such an effort in 2008 election and we want that a joint candidate should be fielded this time as well," he said. Agha confirmed that in case the opposition parties failed to field a joint candidate, his party's lawmakers would not take part in the election.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Pakistan: SC decision on presidential poll date attack on federation: Rabbani
The Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) presidential candidate, Raza Rabbani, has said the Supreme Court’s decision to change the schedule of the presidential polls was “an attack on the federation”. PPP leaders remained busy on Thursday as they approached various political parties asking for their support for the party’s presidential candidate. A delegation of the party, headed by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Khurshid Shah, held separate meetings with leaders of the PML-Q, the ANP, the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F). Talking to reporters after meeting ANP leader Asfandyar Wali Khan, Rabbani said the SC’s verdict was an attack on the federation as the court had ignored the provincial assemblies. Rabbani told the reporters that he had been meeting leaders of various political parties to chalk out a strategy on whether to go along with the elections or boycott them. He said an impression had been given that the electoral college for the presidential poll was only present in Islamabad while “the fact of the matter is that all four provincial assemblies are included in the electoral college”. Rabbani said the new schedule did not provide enough time for him to carry out a proper campaign, adding that it would be impossible for him to visit all the provincial headquarters and meet the members of parliament. “I am a presidential candidate but I was not served any notice pertaining to hearing the plea seeking a change in the poll date,” he said. Rabbani said the SC, on the petition by the PML-N, gave a one-sided decision without hearing the other parties. “The Supreme Court even gave the schedule of the presidential elections,” he added. Addressing the reporters, Asfandyar said the ANP would support the PPP’s decision if it boycotted the presidential elections. He asked was it the Supreme Court’s constitutional domain to announce the schedule of the presidential elections? “If the answer is yes then there is no need to have an election commission.” Meanwhile, after his meeting with Khurshid Shah, Shujaat told reporters that if the opposition parties failed to reach a consensus on the issue, the PML-Q lawmakers would abstain from voting on July 30. According to a source, the PML-Q leadership urged the opposition leader to set aside their differences and agree on a joint candidate for the presidential elections. When contacted, PML-Q Information Secretary Kamil Ali Agha said his party had decided to support only a joint candidate of the opposition parties. "We want a joint candidate of the opposition parties. We had made such an effort in 2008 election and we want that a joint candidate should be fielded this time as well," he said. Agha confirmed that in case the opposition parties failed to field a joint candidate, his party's lawmakers would not take part in the election.
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