Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has extended a formal invitation to the opposition regarding the early appointment of the chief election commissioner, saying an independent and autonomous election commission was prerequisite for transparent elections.
Addressing a meeting of Pakistan People’s Party provincial executive committee members at the Punjab Governor’s House on Friday, Ashraf said fair and transparent elections required the government and opposition agree on an independent election commissioner. The PM said he did not want politics of confrontation and any clash among institutions, asking the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz to do away with its the current policy of confrontation with the federal government.
He urged promoting politics of reconciliation and to abstain from traditional leg pulling. Ashraf asked the Sharif brothers to let the incumbent government complete its constitutional term in the light of Charter of Democracy (CoD) and wait until general elections. He warned that in case democracy was derailed, it would not only endanger the PPP, but all other political parties as well.
The PM made it clear that the PPP did not want confrontation with any institution, including the Supreme Court, as it was a tradition of the party to take measure leading to strengthening of the institutions. The PM said that his government wished to resolve all national issues and matters with the help of all political parties, saying one another’s mandate should be respected for strengthening democracy.
Sources said the meeting decided to gear up efforts for general elections and all members of parliament were directed to launch mass contact campaign vigorously. They said the prime minister also took members on boards about the understanding reached with the PML-Q recently which led to the formation of new cabinet and carving of new office of the deputy prime minister. He thanked the Punjab government for sending a delegation at the airport as part of protocol on his arrival in Lahore, saying the gesture would help strengthen democracy.
