Express Forum: Sarwar against polls in haste

Says any allegation of rigging in the polls would cause ‘irreparable damage’ to democracy.

LAHORE:

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar has said local government elections should not be held in haste, as any allegation of rigging in the polls would cause ‘irreparable damage’ to democracy.

“We greatly respect the judiciary.  We only request it to give some consideration to the standpoint of political parties and not make a verdict in urgency,” Sarwar said speaking at the Express Forum on Friday.

He said the Parliament had passed its resolution. “Now it is up to the apex court to take the resolution into consideration or not,” he said, adding that the government would accept whatever decision the court took.

He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif – disregarding the reports of many national and international agencies about a possible attempt on his life – came out of his residence in Model Town to take part in the long march for the restoration of judiciary. Talking about the US drone campaign in Pakistan, the governor said the drone strikes were against the international law and the country’s sovereignty. “Now the government has to take measures in this regard. However the best forums for decision making are the Parliament and the all parties conference.”

He said the decision to hold talks with the Taliban was a unanimous one made by all the parties, adding that the nation could not withstand any further conflict.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9^th, 2013.