DERA ISMAIL KHAN: In a thinly veiled reference to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Peoples Party central information secretary Faisal Karim Kundi on Wednesday insisted that the powers that be were going to “launch another ladla (blue-eyed politician)” as the country’s next prime minister.

“Though the people stood a ladla [Imran Khan as PM] lately, preparations are being made to launch another ladla [Nawaz Sharif],” Mr Kundi told a presser at his residence here.

Without naming names, the PPP leader said some political parties wanted the Feb 2024 general elections to be postponed on the pretext of terrorist attacks or a harsh winter.

He, however, said the election postponement won’t be possible as long as Supreme Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa was there.

PPP leader insists centre will have coalition govt after Feb polls

Mr Kundi said the PPP had always opposed the victimisation of politicians and advocated fair and transparent elections with a level-playing field forall political parties to participate in them in order tostrengthen democracy in the country.

“It is the right of the people to choose the government of their choice,” he said.

The PPP leader said his party was fully prepared to contest elections.

He claimed that no political party was in a position to claim majority in the upcoming elections, so the next government in the centre would be a coalition one.

Mr Kundi said the PPP had a “good experience” of being part of the last coalition government.

“Our [the PPP’s] focus is on the post-election scenario in which we will form a coalition government,” he said.

The PPP leader said peace was restored in the country after matchless sacrifices by the people, so why “unrest” in the country had returned.

“Those responsible for this unrest should be exposed and subjected to action,” he said.

The PPP leader said free and fair elections were required to stabilise the national economy.

He said the May 9 violent protests were a crime and those responsible for that should be punished through the courts of law but an entire political party was not involved in it.

Commenting on elections in the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Mr Kundi said people from within Imran Khan’s party raised questions about the integrity of that electoral exercise.

He said the “newly-elected” PTI chairman was “groomed in the Pakistan Peoples Party’s University.”

The PPP leader said his party would begin an election campaign in the province after the announcement of the election schedule by the Election Commission of Pakistan.

He said the party would give away election tickets to “deserving” candidates through its parliamentary board.

PPP district president Malik Farhan Dhap and other party leaders were also present on the occasion where PTI leader Malik Qasim Khan announced the joining of their party.

HELD: The police have arrested a suspected killer here after an “encounter.”

Asmatullah alias Mala named in a murder case was held injured, according to a spokesman for the police.

He said the police traded fire with criminals during a raid on a house in the limits of Bandkorai police station leading to the escape of the latter into sugarcane fields.

The spokesman added that Asmatullah was held at a barricade when he was travelling in a car to the hospital for the treatment of injuries. He is under treatment in the police’s custody.

The spokesman said the outlaws accompanying Asmatullah fled and they included Sanaullah, Shaukatullah and Abdullah.

Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2023