Sindh by-polls: PPP welcomes PTI’s election challenge

Tells Imran to stick to decision, make no U-turns

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Peoples Party welcomed Imran Khan’s decision to field PTI candidates against former president Asif Ali Zardari in Nawabshah and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Larkana.

The PPP had announced on December 27 of last year that Zardari will contest by-elections from NA-213 Nawabshah, which is the seat of his sister Azra Pechuho, while Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will contest elections on NA-204 Larkana, the seat of Ayaz Soomro.



“The PPP upholds and welcomes the democratic right of Imran Khan to contest elections against its leaders anywhere and at any time in the country and the Party looks forward to a healthy democratic electoral contest,” said PPP spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar in a statement on Sunday.



Senator Babar urged Imran Khan to firmly stand by his public pronouncement and not go back on it. He said that if Imran took back his words then he would expose himself to the charge of making U-turns, which has been labelled on him.

He said it was an opportunity for the PTI chief to prove that he has jettisoned his past label of making U-turns. The senator  said that the PPP is more than happy to provide him with this opportunity.

The spokesperson referred to Imran Khan’s recent call to lock down Islamabad, saying that Imran refused to leave his Bani Gala residence for fear of arrest.



Senator Babar assured him that the provincial government will not arrest Imran or stop him from contesting elections against the PPP leaders. He added that the Sindh government firmly believes in upholding democratic principles and traditions.

Senator Babar said “Imran can be confident that he will be able to freely contest elections in Sindh without the fear or threat of being arrested.” This should serve as an incentive for Imran not to make a U-turn and contest the elections, either in person or through his candidates against the PPP leaders, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd, 2017.