PPP enters Punjab polls despite reservations

Kaira says party policy does not allow boycotting elections

LAHORE:

As other allied parties in the ruling alliance withheld their party tickets for the Punjab elections, the Pakistan Peoples Party issued them to candidates despite a public opposition to the provincial polls.

The PPP Central and Southern Punjab Chapter issued tickets to its candidates on Thursday, the last day of submitting the tickets for allocation of party symbols.

On the other hand, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid decided against issuing party tickets, leaving those party leaders who filed their nomination papers as independent candidates in the field. Let alone issuing tickets, former MPAs from the PML-N voiced their frustration at their party over not even initiating the scrutiny process for the issuance of party tickets.

All three parties, including the PPP, however, were confident that elections would be delayed till the national elections.

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A PML-Q officer bearer claimed that if at all elections were held on 14 May, the date for issuing party symbols would be extended to allow other parties to become part of the process.

“The PPP does not believe in keeping the field open,” Special Assistant to PM Qamar Zaman Kaira said, adding that the party does not agree with the policy of boycotting elections. He said the PPP despite reservations was taking part in the elections.

“The elections will not be held on 14 May,” he asserted, adding that the PPP agreed with other parties that elections should be held simultaneously throughout the country.

A source within the PPP, however, claimed that they were not 100% sure if the party would actually take part in the elections.

A PML-Q office bearer said the party position was clear on the issue of elections.