PPPP calls for fresh presidential election

Staff Report

LAHORE: The executive council of Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarian (PPPP) Punjab chapter met on Tuesday and called for holding fresh presidential elections to complete the parliamentary system in Pakistan.

Qasim Zia, opposition leader in Punjab Assembly and PPPP Punjab chapter president, chaired the meeting. Talking to reporters, Naveed Chaudhry, the PPPP information secretary, said the party did not accept General Pervez Musharraf as president or the 17th Amendment because parliament had not elected General Musharraf. He said the party demanded the chief election commissioner hold fresh presidential elections. Mr Chaudhry said it was shameful for the prime minister that the government could not complete quorum in the National Assembly session despite the large cabinet. He called Shaukat Aziz a “puppet” of General Musharraf.

He said General Musharraf was incorrect in claiming that he had a successful meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, as Mr Singh said that infiltration from Pakistan into Kashmir was still going on. He said disputes between Pakistan and India could not be resolved without the involvement of Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif. The PPPP information secretary condemned the conviction of former National Assembly speaker Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani by an accountability court and said if providing jobs was a crime, the party would continue committing such crimes. He said the PPPP Punjab chapter would observe a hunger strike to protest against Mr Gillani’s conviction at all divisional headquarters on October 5.

Mr Chaudhry said the PPPP would stage rallies for the release of Asif Zardari, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and other political prisoners at all district headquarters on October 8. The rallies would reach Gujranwala where a public meeting is scheduled, said Mr Chaudhry.

Home | National