Attock trip: Nawaz warns against rigging in next election

Says free and fair election not possible if Zardari continues to use Presidency as PPP headquarters.

ATTOCK:

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has called for transparency in the upcoming parliamentary election saying that rigging would be dangerous for the country.

Nawaz Sharif used an interaction with the media at the residence of PML-N lawmaker Sheikh Aftab Ahmad in Attock to launch a frontal verbal attack on the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

“If Asif Ali Zardari continues using the Presidency as the PPP headquarters, then the next elections cannot be free, fair and transparent,” Nawaz said.

However, he warned that if the elections were rigged, then the country could never be put back on the track of prosperity.

The PML-N chief also called for unity among politicians to steer the country out of a myriad of crises. “It is high time we got united to tackle the challenges faced by the country,” he added.

Speaking about the Balochistan conundrum, Nawaz said that though the situation in the volatile province was bad, unity among politicians and people of Pakistan could bring it back from the brink.

With regard to the anti-Islam film that sparked worldwide protests, Nawaz said the movie hurt the feelings of Muslims around the world. “No Muslim can compromise on the issue. Even Christians, Hindus and Sikhs are condemning it,” he added.

At the same time, the PML-N chief said protests against the film must be peaceful. “We must not damage public and private properties during protests,” he said and condemned rioting, violence and arson attacks on Ishq-e-Rasool Day.

To a question, Nawaz said he had no plan to contest the next election from Attock district. “Like (deputy premier and PML-Q leader) Pervez Elahi, I do not believe in contesting elections from eight constituencies,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2012.