Leader of oppostion Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD: The announcement made by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to take its case to the streets regarding the May 11 general elections, which took place a year ago, might have lured some political parties, but the main opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has no interest.
On Monday, leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, said his party did not want to join the PTI campaign.
Critics might take this decision of the PPP as a ‘deal’ with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), but Shah dismisses such observations.
“This system [democracy] has been earned after a long time and if anything goes wrong people would not believe it," he added.
“We do not support Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif [by not joining PTI], but we want to save the system,” Shah said while talking to the media before the start of the 11th session of the National Assembly.
The PTI has completed its homework and would bring forth all the issues in the lower house, and it is likely that it would invite other parties in the opposition to join.
“Imran Khan should have taken up all the issues in the Parliament,” Shah said in response to a question.
He said that the Parliament is the most appropriate forum and Khan should take up his issues there instead of becoming part of Dr Tahirul Qadri’s campaign.
Talking about the Ministry of Water and Power’s recent drive against power theft and disconnection of electricity supply, even to the Parliament house for non-payment of bills, he said “the government actually wanted to divert attention.”
Shah said that the public is facing more than 12 hours of load-shedding since the start of the summer season and the government had failed to manage the supply and demand of electricity.
“It is in this regard that the Water and Power Ministry have launched this campaign so that political parties jump in and make it a political issue,” he added.
PML-N secretary information Senator Mushahidullah Khan said that it was the democratic right of PTI to go for peaceful protest.
However, he said that “Dr Tahirul Qadri neither recognises this system nor is he a national of this country.”
"Qadri had come last year on someone elses’ behest and was paid billons of rupees and this time around he would once again earn millions through his campaign," he added.
COMMENTS (10)
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Good decision by PPP. They should not deal with Imran who is Master of U Turn. He is not trustworthy and can decieve any time.
Why would the PPP protest? Not a single PPP politician in power have been prosecuted by the PMLN under the bi-lateral agreement between the two parties. They are both part of the status quo. Democracy is not under threat in Pakistan anymore, but Pakistan is under threat from the status quo of these two parties.
These muk muka thugs will never want to change a corrupt system that protects the elite. Everybody knows under the banner of democracy they do not want people to stand up against them. The current system of Pakistan is by no means democratic. The politicians that are sitting in the assembly's do not represent the people (35 punctures is a small example) nor do they want to do anything for the welfare of the people. Therefore I do not consider these thugs as our representatives.
These politicians are using our tax money to make assets worth millions abroad. I have seen a few of Nawaz Sharif's towers in the UK. I hope the people of Pakistan can open their eyes.
It is only because PPP chief and PML-N chief are buddies.
Thank God
It's ok, no one expects PPP to protest against itself...
Shah ji...we understand PPP have to wait for another four years for its next turn.
On the other side... Maryam Nawaz also found 'maturity' in PPP yesterday.:)
What a country. A party which reflects sadism, cronyism, corruption, nepotism still manages to find headlines. Media talks of traitors. And the leader of this PPP has stashed billions in Dubai and Switzerland and no one mentions it. The ruling party thinks metro bus is more important than the energy crises.
Why should they? Are they interested in free and fair elections? Absolutely no. All they are concerned with is holding on power in Sindh. They know that the day free and fair elections are held in Sindh, they will be wiped out at the provincial level just they have been wiped out at the federal level.
for your info Khursheed Ahmed Shah PTI did not even invited PPP for 11th May protest