Analyst Mazhar Abbas has said that the February 8 general elections would lose their ‘credibility’ without the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, as many leaders of the former ruling party have either left the quit politics or are in jail.

“If this election is held without PTI then it would be called credible,” he said in an interview with Asma Shirazi on her show Faisla Aap Ka that was aired on Aaj News on Thursday. “I am not talking about Imran Khan, but I am talking about the PTI.”

He was asked about the delayed polls in the country. Polls date was finally decided earlier this week after the Supreme Court asked the country’s top electoral authority to give a final date. The next day, the apex court ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan to ensure elections on February 8 in the upcoming year without any hurdles.

But the PPP and the PTI have called for a level playing field for all political parties in the elections. The former ruling party has claimed that they were not allowed to conduct campaigns like other parties.

Many leaders of the Imran Khan-led party and the chairman himself are behind bars or have quit politics following the government’s crackdown against the protesters who vandalised military installations and damaged state buildings.

“If PTI does not get that space then you might be from another party but elections situations would be different,” Abbas said and expressed hope elections were held while expressing concerns about the security situation in the country.

PPP leader Nasir Hussain Shah and PML-N leader Musadik Malik were also on the show.

When asked, the PPP leader said that if the PML-N got the mandate then they would provide them “unconditional help”. He clarified that there would not be any leg-pulling.

While PML-N leader Malik expressed hope that the parties were moving forward and the bitterness among the parties would end.

In response to a query, Abbas said that the two major parties have “unfortunately” damaged the democracy. He added that both parties had a chance in 1993 to follow democracy but they changed sides.

He was of the view that both parties should review the charter of democracy.