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Bar on former PMs creates doubts on credibility of polls: ARD
Islamabad, Aug 10: Debarring former premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif from contesting the October general elections has created doubts about the whole electoral exercise, Pakistan`s mainstream political parties have said.
Islamabad, Aug 10: Debarring former premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif from contesting the October general
elections has created doubts about the whole electoral
exercise, Pakistan's mainstream political parties have said.
"The promulgation of laws and rules to prevent the two leaders from taking part in the polls has proved beyond doubt the government has started pre-poll rigging," The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy, an umbrella group of Pakistan's mainstream political parties said yesterday. The political forces have decided not to give any walkover to the government and field their nominees in all constituencies to give tough fight to candidates of the government sponsored political parties, ARD chief Nawabzada Nasurullah Khan was quoted by Pakistan newsagency PPI.
Khan said if the elections were not held in a free, fair and transparent manner, neither the Pakistani nation nor the international community would accept the results. "We understand the elections will not be held in a free and transparent manner because we have two bitter experiences... We experienced the malpractice in the government's plan of devolution of power and the intelligence agencies' interference to sabotage fair election", he said.
The October polls, he said, would be like the referendum held by Musharraf to extend his term by five years. When the referendum was not held fairly, then how the same government machinery would hold free and transparent elections, the ARD chief added.
On the issue of foreign observers monitoring the polls, Khan said their arrival would certainly help control the rigging by Musharraf government.
Bureau Report
"The promulgation of laws and rules to prevent the two leaders from taking part in the polls has proved beyond doubt the government has started pre-poll rigging," The Alliance for Restoration of Democracy, an umbrella group of Pakistan's mainstream political parties said yesterday. The political forces have decided not to give any walkover to the government and field their nominees in all constituencies to give tough fight to candidates of the government sponsored political parties, ARD chief Nawabzada Nasurullah Khan was quoted by Pakistan newsagency PPI.
Khan said if the elections were not held in a free, fair and transparent manner, neither the Pakistani nation nor the international community would accept the results. "We understand the elections will not be held in a free and transparent manner because we have two bitter experiences... We experienced the malpractice in the government's plan of devolution of power and the intelligence agencies' interference to sabotage fair election", he said.
The October polls, he said, would be like the referendum held by Musharraf to extend his term by five years. When the referendum was not held fairly, then how the same government machinery would hold free and transparent elections, the ARD chief added.
On the issue of foreign observers monitoring the polls, Khan said their arrival would certainly help control the rigging by Musharraf government.
Bureau Report