Way out: PPP will support constitutional moves only, says Shah

Says adopting the option of ‘in-house change’ will be difficult as PM Nawaz is also the party head

ISLAMABAD:

Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah has said Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) will welcome any constitutional move by the government including ‘in-house change’ to resolve the prevailing political crisis and deadlock.

“We will support every step taken in larger national and democratic interest but the PPP will not support any undemocratic and unconstitutional step,” he said, talking to Express Investigation Cell at his chamber in the Parliament on Wednesday morning.



“However, taking any decision regarding ‘in-house change’ seems difficult for  the PML-N as Prime Minister  Nawaz Sharif also heads his party, which will ultimately be calling the shots,” he added.

He said the current crises needed to be resolved under the parameters of the Constitution at the earliest as the protest march of both Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) at the Constitution Avenue was very serious  matter and presented a very negative image of the state at the national and international forum.

“However, the  PPP will never support any unconstitutional and undemocratic step on any cost  from any part to resolve the situation as we will not allow to derail the democratic process and to hurt the democratic institutions,” he said.

Commenting on the government decision to allow the PTI and PAT marchers enter in Red Zone on Monday’s evening without any resistance, he said it was step to handle the situation to avoid any bloodshed.

On question over presence of the PPP’s Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari in the country to pullout the PML-N’s government from the serious political crisis, Shah said Zardari’s absence was no issue as the PPP co-chairman is in regular in  contact with the party and was keeping close eye on the issue to resolve  it amicably.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2014.