‘Friendly’ opposition: PPP cautiously accepts rigging inquiry report
Khursheed Shah invites govt to present findings in National Assembly
Khursheed Shah invites govt to present findings in National Assembly. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
A day after findings of the judicial commission that probed systematic rigging allegations into the 2013 general elections were made public, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) opted a cautious approach, saying it has accepted the commission’s outcome but with ‘reservations’.
“We are accepting the report for continuation of [democratic] system. We do not want to put the system under threat,” said Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah in carefully chosen words while talking to the media at his residence Friday evening. In the same breath he appreciated Imran Khan’s decision to accept the report.
However, the PPP wants to take up the judicial commission’s report in parliament and discuss it in the next session of the National Assembly commencing from July 27.
Khursheed Shah asked the government to present the report in the lower house of parliament for a general discussion.
When asked about the PPP reservations over the report, he said his party does not want to “open a new Pandora’s box” and it would deliberate the report in detail in parliament.
He pointed out that the PPP also had reservations over the results of the 2013 elections like Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), but when the PTI chief joined hands with Dr Tahirul Qadri, chief of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), PPP chose to stay away from the PTI.
“Asif Ali Zardari was among those who called the last elections as ROs polls. All of us were on the same page against rigging before Imran Khan changed his approach,” he remarked.
Taking credit for establishing the judicial commission, Shah reaffirmed that it was his party that persuaded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to set up the inquiry commission.
“We are not friendly opposition but we are friendly to democracy. Whenever there will be any threat to democratic process, PPP would stand against such threats,” he said, adding that democratic institutions must function in a democratic manner.
He also advised the federal government not to become arrogant after the report vindicated its stance or the situation would deteriorate.
Truth has come out: Dar
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said no Friday that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would not seek an apology from the PTI.
He made the remarks while speaking to the media after the meeting of the Chief Commissioners’ Conference held at the FBR.
Striking a reconciliatory tone, Dar urged the PTI to join forces for the sake of the economy and the country.
While responding to a question about the outcome of the Judicial Commission’s report, he said that the “truth has come out”.
The finance minister also invited the PTI to start attending meetings of the parliamentary committee on electoral reforms.
Dar, who is the chairman of the electoral reforms committee, had stated in the past that he did not convene the meeting of the reforms committee in the hope that the PTI would start attending the meetings once the JC report was out.
Meanwhile, the government has called a meeting of the electoral reforms committee on July 28.
Adjournment motion
PPP Senator Saeed Ghani has submitted an adjournment motion in Senate regarding disconnection of gas supply to Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM).
He said in his adjournment motion that the gas supply to PSM has been lowered and planned to disconnect completely on July 28.
Ghani said that it is part of the conspiracy to sell it out at throwaway prices. Therefore, he requested that normal business may be deferred and the motion be discussed.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 25th, 2015.
A day after findings of the judicial commission that probed systematic rigging allegations into the 2013 general elections were made public, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) opted a cautious approach, saying it has accepted the commission’s outcome but with ‘reservations’.
“We are accepting the report for continuation of [democratic] system. We do not want to put the system under threat,” said Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah in carefully chosen words while talking to the media at his residence Friday evening. In the same breath he appreciated Imran Khan’s decision to accept the report.
However, the PPP wants to take up the judicial commission’s report in parliament and discuss it in the next session of the National Assembly commencing from July 27.
Khursheed Shah asked the government to present the report in the lower house of parliament for a general discussion.
When asked about the PPP reservations over the report, he said his party does not want to “open a new Pandora’s box” and it would deliberate the report in detail in parliament.
He pointed out that the PPP also had reservations over the results of the 2013 elections like Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), but when the PTI chief joined hands with Dr Tahirul Qadri, chief of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), PPP chose to stay away from the PTI.
“Asif Ali Zardari was among those who called the last elections as ROs polls. All of us were on the same page against rigging before Imran Khan changed his approach,” he remarked.
Taking credit for establishing the judicial commission, Shah reaffirmed that it was his party that persuaded Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to set up the inquiry commission.
“We are not friendly opposition but we are friendly to democracy. Whenever there will be any threat to democratic process, PPP would stand against such threats,” he said, adding that democratic institutions must function in a democratic manner.
He also advised the federal government not to become arrogant after the report vindicated its stance or the situation would deteriorate.
Truth has come out: Dar
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said no Friday that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would not seek an apology from the PTI.
He made the remarks while speaking to the media after the meeting of the Chief Commissioners’ Conference held at the FBR.
Striking a reconciliatory tone, Dar urged the PTI to join forces for the sake of the economy and the country.
While responding to a question about the outcome of the Judicial Commission’s report, he said that the “truth has come out”.
The finance minister also invited the PTI to start attending meetings of the parliamentary committee on electoral reforms.
Dar, who is the chairman of the electoral reforms committee, had stated in the past that he did not convene the meeting of the reforms committee in the hope that the PTI would start attending the meetings once the JC report was out.
Meanwhile, the government has called a meeting of the electoral reforms committee on July 28.
Adjournment motion
PPP Senator Saeed Ghani has submitted an adjournment motion in Senate regarding disconnection of gas supply to Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM).
He said in his adjournment motion that the gas supply to PSM has been lowered and planned to disconnect completely on July 28.
Ghani said that it is part of the conspiracy to sell it out at throwaway prices. Therefore, he requested that normal business may be deferred and the motion be discussed.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 25th, 2015.