The top body of Pakistan Peoples Party would announce its decision on Friday (tomorrow) as the party was still receiving recommendations pertaining to the general elections, economic and political situation.
“Right now, our final decisions are yet to come and we will request that you will have to come tomorrow as well when we will have a complete and detailed press conference and inform you about the decisions of the central executive committee,” PPP leader Shazia Marri told reporters after party’s CEC meeting in Lahore on Thursday.
The meeting of PPP’s top body comes amid the party’s concerns over the lack of a level playing field and ban on development funds in Sindh, unlike the other provinces where the work was under way.
There were also reports over the attendance of party’s bigwigs in the meeting after Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari gave different statements on elections.
“This is interesting that the predictions whether Bilawal was in the CEC or Zardari, so both of them are present in the CEC and like the last CEC, both of our leaders are presiding over the CEC meeting,” Marri said.
When asked, she said it was debatable whether the president could announce the election date or not. “We had also said whoever announces date, we want early elections and that the Constitution was followed,” Marri added.
She went on to add that the president’s letter was yet to be decided whether it was right or wrong. “And then tell whether the person who wrote the letter has the right to do it or not. It should be about one side. This game of middle ground which President Alvi Sb tries to find out is very strange. You remember a NAB amendment bill was also presented. A discussion is held on legal or constitutional grounds.”
The PPP was adamant on early elections to end uncertainty in the country, said party leader Shazia Marri on Thursday as she wanted to clear up the confusion that the former ruling party in Sindh was debating on the announcer of polls.
According to the recommendations received so far, she said that the president has no right to announce an election date. But the party would give its detailed answer on Friday.
When asked, she clarified that the party after its last meeting on August 25 announced that the ECP has to announce the election date. “If today anyone tried to create any confusion on it, we should tell them that PPP does not argue on who announces the election date, we want elections as soon as possible so that the country comes out of this uncertainty.”
PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi confirmed that the party’s secretary general has sent a show cause notice to lawyer Latif Khosa under which Khosa has to reply in seven days. Aitzaz Ahsan was also invited to the CEC.
“We have not expelled Latif Khosa Sb from the party. An answer has been sought from him through a show cause notice,” he said, “today because farewell [parties] are being held in honour of the CJP, both of our lawyers [Khosa and Ahsan] are in Islamabad because of which they could not come and excused us.”
Kundi added that his party leaders have concerns over the decision to ban development schemes in Sindh.
“With due respect, the ECP can do transfer postings. This country should be run by law and Constitution,” Marri said.
