Summary Fahim says SC unilaterally gave verdict on an application by PML-N leader.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim announced formal boycott of Presidential elections.
Speaking on a point of order‚ PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim announced formal boycott of Presidential elections alleging that advancing of the polling date amounted to pre-poll rigging.
He acknowledged that PPP and its allies have not the required strength to win the election but they fielded Mian Raza Rabbani to strengthen the democratic process and fulfill constitutional requirements.
Amin Fahim said the date of 30th July is not acceptable and PPP‚ ANP‚ PML-Q and BNP-Awami would not take part in the voting.
He was of the view that the Supreme Court unilaterally gave verdict on an application submitted by PML-N leader Raja Zafarul Haq and did not hear presidential contenders or stakeholders.
PTI leader Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi said they subscribed to the view point of the PPP but do not agree with its strategy. He said PML-N and its allies have numerical superiority and the opposition was not in a position to get its candidate elected even if there was a unanimous candidate.
He said despite this PTI proposed to PPP to nominate a non-controversial consensus candidate but PPP unilaterally nominated Mian Raza Rabbani. He said PTI also had the option of boycott but it went for contesting the elections to strengthen democratic traditions.
Responding PML-N leader and Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif said the decision of the PPP regarding boycott of the elections is an afterthought to run from the contest sensing ground realities.
He said he telephoned the leader of the Opposition Syed Khurshid Shah to share names of three presidential candidates short listed by PML-N and also sensitized him about the possibility of advancing the polling date so that maximum number of members could participate in the election. He said Syed Khurshid Shah did not express any reservations or raised any objection.
Khawaja Asif said PML-N approached the Supreme Court when its request for advancing the date was rejected by the Election Commission. He said by approaching the apex court the PML-N adopted a constitutional course and there were no bad motives involved.
He said the government has required numbers and its candidate would have won even if elections were to be held on 6th of August.
Khawaja Asif appealed to all parties to participate in the election for the office of the President which is considered to be symbol of unity of the federation. He said they should not create hurdles in the way of a legal and constitutional process.
Makhdoom Amin Fahim stood again to offer that PPP was ready to contest the election if it was held on 6th of August.
