KARACHI: PML-N may boycott elections
KARACHI, June 12: Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) has announced that the party would boycott the coming elections if held under Gen Musharraf and warned that the country would suffer irreparable loss if sanctity of the vote was trampled.
This announcement was made at the party’s workers convention held under the auspices of PML-N West on Sunday night. The convention, presided over by Zahid Rafique Butt, was addressed, among others, by PML-N President Mian Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif and its Sindh chapter President Justice Ghous Ali Shah from London by telephone.
Referring to the on-going democratic struggle against present setup, Shahbaz Sharif said that after restoration of real democracy, those who have imported limousine cars would be made accountable and the era of loot and plunder would be buried for ever under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif.
He said they would introduce a fair system based on principles of justice for all so that all citizens enjoy equal opportunities of progress and would utilize national resources for eliminating poverty, unemployment and price-hike.
Ghous Ali Shah recalled that Pakistan came into being with the struggle of the All-India Muslim League and as such the primary responsibility to bring stability to democracy in the country was of the PML. He regretted that in Pakistan political parties were not allowed to complete their tenures in power and play their role to put the country to the road to progress and prosperity.
Terming the charter of democracy a good omen for the country, he said there was a need to keep the people aware of it.
Raja Zafarul Haq, PML-N chairman, in his telephonic address from Rawalpindi said their party would not sign a deal with any dictator, nor the PPP would make any contact the military rulers and they have decided to take the on-going struggle of the people to a decisive stage. This decision has become a challenge to rulers, he added.
Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, secretary general of the party, said like the Shariat Bill, Nawaz Sharif had made another landmark achievement of having signed the charter of democracy and would not rest without restoration of true democracy in the country.
Alliance for Restoration of Democracy Sindh President Zain Ansari said they would defend the ideology of Pakistan, and the day was not far when people’s rule would usher in the country.
Saleem Zia, who is acting Sindh PML-N President, asked the party workers to prepare themselves as time had come to save the country. Without the return and participation of Nawaz Sharif, Shahabaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, the elections would be a fraud, he said.
Zahid Rafique Butt, in his presidential remarks, asked the party workers to prepare for elections as the next elections would be conducted by Gen Musharraf but for some caretaker setup.
Other leaders who spoke included Zulfiqar Khosa, Mukhtar Ali Kanhorvi, Shahmir Khan, Tariq Khan, Malik Naeem Awan, Sultan Ahmad Ansari, Malik Rafiq Awan, Raja Mohammad Mansha and Sardar Rahim.
https://www.dawn.com/news/196690/karachi-pml-n-may-boycott-elections
