LAHORE: President Asif Ali Zardari, in a meeting with Pakistan People’s Party’s ticket-bearers from Punjab on Monday, held national and international institutions responsible for the party’s defeat in the general elections.

The meeting was held at Bilawal House in Lahore in which senior party leaders were also present.

Following rigging allegations by various parties in the aftermath of May 11 polls, President Zardari also claimed that his party was defeated through planned rigging.

The president has formed a probe committee, which will be headed by Senator Aitzaz Ahsan, to ascertain reasons for the PPP’s resounding defeat in the recently held general elections across the country.

Pointing towards his expected exit from the presidency, he said that by the end of year, he himself will lead the party out of its current crisis.

President Zardari’s term in office is due to end this September.

He said his children – Bilawal, Aseefa and Bakhtawar – will also play their role in mobilising the party again.

Former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani, former Punjab governor Sardar Latif Khosa, former PPP central Punjab president Mian Manzoor Wattoo, Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar and other important leaders also attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, PPP supporters gathered outside Bilawal House in great numbers to record their protest against imprudent policies of the party leadership, which they said led to its defeat in the polls.

They cited alliance with Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) as the main reason for the party’s downfall.