NAWABSHAH: Pakistan Peo­ples Party-Parliamentarians (PPP-P) president Asif Ali Zardari has said that his party would win elections from all over the country.

Addressing a gathering of his party workers and supporters at the village of Allah Buksh Magsi the other day, he said he was happy to launch his election campaign from a village.

“We will make Nawabshah a model city for everyone and those claiming Lahore to be model city would see Nawabshah,” he said.

He praised his sisters Faryal Talpur and Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho for being there for the people of Nawabshah during his absence and carrying out development works with a focus on health and education.

He said PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was continuing the mission and vision of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.

He said the annoyed workers were the real asset of the party and he would visit them and clear their misunderstandings and alleviate their grievances.

The former president offered Eid prayers at Zardari House Nawabshah on Saturday.

Meanwhile, he chaired a meeting with party workers and office bearers of PS-37, along with his sister and former MNA Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, at Zardari House on Monday.

In Naushahro Feroze, speaking to party activists and supporters in a meeting at the residence of former MPA Abdul Haq Bhurt the other day, Mr Zardari said the PPP would repair all wrongs done by former premier Nawaz Sharif. He said the government led by Nawaz Sharif had done everything wrong and brought the country to a stage where everyone was mocking Pakistan.

“It is the time of general elections in Pakistan and I am hopeful that the PPP would form government and would undo all wrongs done by Nawaz Sharif,” he said.

He said the party in the lead of chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari would put the country back on track.

He later held a one-to-one meeting with Abdul Haq Bhurt who was annoyed for not getting the party ticket to run in the polls. Mr Zardari tried to convince him, but sources mentioned that Mr Bhurt did not agree to any terms with Mr Zardari and warned that if he was not awarded the party ticket, he would contest elections as an independent candidate as he was having support of thousands of party workers and supporters.

Meanwhile in another development, PPP’s former MPA Dr Sattar Rajper also announced to contest elections from PS-34, PS-35 and NA-211 as an independent candidate.

Talking to journalists at Naushahro Feroze Press Club where he arrived, along with hundreds of workers and supporters, Mr Rajper said the soul of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto would also be feeling sad over the poor decisions of the party on awarding tickets.

He said the remnants of the Musharraf regime, and near and dear ones of former law minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar were awarded party tickets whereas senior workers were completely ignored.

He said he would not withdraw his nominations and would contest elections as an independent candidate on PS-34 and 35 as well as on NA-211.

If Asif Ali Zardari approached him, he would refuse and would not change his mind.

Sources informed that Dr Sattar Rajper was also in contact with the senior leadership of the Grand Democratic Alliance and might get a ticket from there.

Two applicants withdraw objections

Two applicants who had filed objections against the nomination papers of Asif Ali Zardari in Nawabshah withdrew their pleas on Monday.

Mohammed Saleem Bhangwar and Ghulam Raza Dharejo withdrew their applications challenging Mr Zardari’s nomination from the office of the returning officer stating that they had some “misunderstanding”.

Returning Officer Mehboob Awan asked the applicants why they should not be sent to jail for their irresponsible act. The applicants were let off when they tendered an unconditional apology.

Another applicant, Falak Sher Oadh, a former district president of the Sindh United Party (SUP), had also filed objections against Mr Zardari’s nomination seeking his papers’ rejection under Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

The RO admitted the plea and asked the applicant to present relevant evidence before him on Tuesday.

Mr Zardari’s counsel Farooq H. Naek, Ziaul Hassan Lanjar and Abu Bakar Zardari were also asked to appear before him on Tuesday at 1.30pm.

The counsel, speaking to reporters expressed their anger over the RO’s act of admitting the application, and argued that how could the application of an unknown person who was not even a voter of this constituency be admitted for consideration.

They said they would lodge a complaint against the RO with the chief election commissioner.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2018