KARACHI, Jan 29: Co-chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday that according to the reports of the European Union and other international observers, the forthcoming elections in Pakistan have already been rigged and the assassination of Benazir Bhutto is the biggest proof of such rigging.

He was speaking to a five-member delegation of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) headed by former chief justice of Pakistan Justice Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui at Bilawal House. Other members of the delegation included former Sindh governor Lt-Gen (retd) Moeenuddin Haider and Bilal Mehboob.

PPP leaders Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Aftab Shahban Mirani, Dr Babar Awan, Farooq H. Naek, Sherry Rehman, Dr Azra Pechuho and Dr Safdar Abbasi were also present.

The delegation offered Fateha and paid tribute to Benazir Bhutto and also praised the vision of Mr Zardari for the federation, claiming that he “showed statesmanship on the difficult occasion of Ms Bhutto’s burial” and termed it the “stance of a true leader.”

Mr Zardari said that the Pakistani nation is hurt and the only way out for the country is totally fair and transparent elections, which seem impossible under the present circumstances because all the key postings are being made by nazims to “rig the elections,” whereas the regime is “creating terror with the prime purpose of deterring the supporters of the PPP from coming out for the final victory of the people of Pakistan.”

He urged the nation to convert pain into strength and unity and added that Pakistanis are in a major struggle and the elections are only a part of it.

He asked civil society to support the PPP morally and intellectually. He expressed the need for framing rules under a parliamentary committee to determine the guidelines for all state organs, including the judiciary.

Mr Zardari termed the last eight years of “dictatorial rule” as a joke and not governance. Expressing his vision for the post-election scenario, he asked all quarters concerned to work collectively and to create a methodology of good governance. He said the PPP believes that sovereign power rests with the parliament and people of Pakistan, while denouncing revenge and disintegration.

He also met a two-member delegation of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) at Bilawal House on Tuesday.

The delegation offered condolences and paid tribute to Benazir Bhutto for her services to Pakistan and praised the PPP’s decision to contest the elections.

Mr Zardari said the NDI had created valuable awareness, but due to the “partisan attitude” of the election commission, no progress was made on the ground for free and fair polls. He pressed the need for public pressure at the polling stations and asked the polling staff to abide by the law.

The delegation gave its point of view for necessary steps to ensure free, fair and transparent elections on Feb 18, 2008.