ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: While asking the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to announce election date, the PPP has said the lopsidedness of caretaker governments is becoming evident with each passing day as it is giving ‘special treatment’ to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and reminded the commission that the result of general elections without Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in the run will not be acceptable to anyone.

According to an earlier ECP announcement, elections are ‘likely’ to take place in the last week of January 2024. However, no official schedule has been given till date amid growing uncertainty over the issue in relevant quarters.

PPP Secretary General Nayyar Bukhari stated: “The Election Commission is answerable to the nation and the apex court for not giving the election date.” It was known to all that caretakers were providing special treatment to a party, he said. “Questions will be raised on the results of the elections if level playing field is not given to all,” he said. He expressed fears that the country would face a constitutional crisis if the election results were not accepted.

“The lopsidedness of caretaker governments is becoming evident with each passing day. On what basis is the Punjab government suspending sentences?” he wondered.

Laments ‘special treatment’ being given to Nawaz

Also, PPP vice president Senator Sherry Rehman in a media talk expressed concerns about the lingering uncertainty surrounding the election date. “Delay in elections is fuelling uncertainty and raising questions about the credibility of the ECP,” she said, adding that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has consistently demanded an election date, but the ECP appeared unresponsive.

“While we await the election date, the deadline for voter registration and information updates has been extended till Oct 28. To avoid controversies, the ECP should immediately anno­unce the election date as we firmly believe that delaying the election equates to denying the people their right to vote,” the PPP leader said.

Minus PTI

The PPP made it clear that ‘minus-PTI result’ of general elections won’t be acceptable to anyone. “We don’t support whatever [PTI chairman] Imran Khan and his party have done, and one should face the music for one’s deeds. But it must be kept in mind that minus PTI, the results of elections will not be acceptable to anyone,” PPP Punjab acting president Rana Farooq said during a press conference in Lahore on Wednesday.

Flanked by Faisal Mir, Aurangzeb Burki, Azizur Rehman Chan and others, he said that Nawaz Sharif should have demanded a level playing field for all parties, not just his own.

In reply to a question, he said that PML-N’s public meeting at Minar-i-Pakistan lawns could not break the record of Benazir Bhutto’s public meeting at the same venue in terms of participants.

Replying to a question about the protocol given to Nawaz Sharif upon his return after four years, he said it did not go well with people from other provinces.

Regarding the alliance of the PPP with the PML-N back in 2008, he explained that it was a necessary step to remove army ruler Pervez Musharraf from power.

He also stated that higher tariffs for electricity and gas had damaged the national economy. The PPP did not increase the rates of these utilities during its tenure in power between 2008 and 2013, he recalled.

Faisal Mir added that the homecoming of Mr Nawaz has benefited the PPP because supporters who had left the party to join other groups are now returning to the party fold.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2023