PPP ready to form alliance with PTI

Latif Khosa says his party would form a coalition with any political party ‘for democracy’.

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Peoples Party has finally made its mind to enter into an alliance with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to form the next government in order to continue the ongoing democratic process in the country.

The announcement for a possible alliance with any political party, including rival PTI, apparently came at a time when PPP’s top leadership sensed ‘tough electoral test’ in the May 11 general elections.

PPP Secretary General Sardar Latif Khan Khosa revealed on Thursday that his party could form an alliance with any political party to form the next government ‘for the best of democracy’, but the premier would be from his party.

“Nothing is impossible in politics – PPP can go for an alliance with PTI,” Khosa told The Express Tribune after addressing a press conference at PPP Central Secretariat Islamabad.

“Our alliance with MQM, PML-Q and ANP is still intact,” Khosa claimed.

In his first interaction with journalists after assuming the office of Secretary General, he claimed that if PPP came into power again it would produce over 12,000MW electricity to overcome the energy crisis.

Pointing out parties whose public gatherings were not being targeted by the militants, he alleged that these parties were being backed by terrorists, and even facilitated to promote their agenda.

“The upcoming polls have drawn a clear-cut line between two schools of thought in political parties – the moderate and the conservative,” he said, urging the nation to reject these parties as terrorism had already pushed the country into a blind alley.

Without explaining why the PPP top leadership was absent from public gatherings, Khosa claimed his party will grab 40 percent votes while the rest would take the other 60 percent.

Criticising his political opponents, he said that former premier Benazir Bhutto injected new political life in Sharif brothers when the two signed the Charter of Democracy in 2007, and added that Nawaz Sharif’s pardon to then President Rafique Tarrar, before going to Saudi Arabia, was his political death.

Counting achievements of his party, he said President Zardari is the first president who transferred his powers to the executive.

A strong PTI will favour PPP: Gilani

Meanwhile, former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that a strong PTI would benefit his party, the PPP, and that he wishes the PTI a long life.

In an interview, Gilani said that there has been no relief to the people in Punjab, a fact which had increased the popularity of the PTI.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3^rd, 2013.