PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan has said that the party delegation led by Asad Qaiser would meet with PPP leaders this week to discuss timely elections.
“We have decided that this week we can have our meeting with the PPP where we will talk about elections and not making any alliance as Imran Khan has not asked for such an approach,” he said in an interview with Shaukat Piracha on his show Rubaroo which was aired on Aaj News on Sunday.
Elections are scheduled to be held in January next year. Though the Election Commission of Pakistan has not given any date yet, it has clarified that polls won’t be delayed despite President Arif Alvi’s doubts.
Ali, who is part of the delegation, shared that the party’s core committee had contacted the PPP leaders via phone to talk about elections before making the decision. He added that they have met with JUI leader Muhammad Khan Sherani, former senator Muhammad Ali Durrani, and caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi only to discuss “free and fair elections.
When asked, he replied that the former ruling party was trying to make a “political space” where they were engaging with different political parties with an agenda to have timely elections. He dispelled impressions that they were seeking any relief or wanting any deal or safe passage for Imran Khan.
“Everyone should get equal opportunity and the people should decide,” Ali said and claimed that his party was being “cornered” as they could not organise rallies.
Moreover, the former parliamentary affairs state minister reiterated that the party delegation paid a visit to the JUI-F chief to offer condolences on the demise of the latter’s in-laws and supporters in the Bajaur blast.
But he added that there could be a meeting with the religiopolitical party on the same agenda.
He was hopeful that polls would be held on time but added that the “special treatment” given to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif has created doubts.
In response to a query, the former minister replied that Palestine would not have freedom until the Muslim world supported them.
“Is it not possible for the caretaker government to convene an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in Pakistan? Isn’t this possible for all parties to have a peaceful protest while having Palestine flags in our hands?” he added.
PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira, who was also on the show, said that his party has maintained that the people who have been charged after the May 9 events should fight their cases in court before approaching for dialogue.
He was of the view that words used by JUI-F chief Fazl in a rally in an apparent reference to the PTI chief should be omitted.
In a rally organised in support of Palestine, Fazl said that his party would defeat Israel in the same way they defeated the “agent of Jewish lobby sent in Pakistan”.
PPP’s Qaira welcomed the development that the PTI should reach out to other parties. He was not aware of the possible meeting of Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif, but favoured it and called for ending the “rival tendency”.
In response to a query, he said that any delay in the elections would be “bad” for the country.
“We are saying elections should be held and it should not be delayed and even the Supreme Court will need timely elections,” Qaira said.
