Fuelling more doubts about the transparency of May 11 elections, President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday said that the returning officers (ROs) had played an important role in the elections.
“If I get the support of these ROs, I can win the presidential election,” he said while talking to a delegation of South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) at Bilawal House. The PPP did not want to sacrifice ‘another Bhutto’ just for another 25-26 seats, he added.
Quashing rumours about his plans to step down, President Zardari said he would complete his constitutional term. “If I did not resign at the time of elections, there was no justification for my resignation now,” he said.
He said that the PPP could not run a proper elections campaign in Punjab because of the Taliban threats. Moreover, the judiciary was also against PPP, he added. “The party couldn’t fight on multiple fronts simultaneously.”
Despite reservations, President Zardari said that the PPP had conceded defeat and he would administer oath to the party that has won the mandate. “The opposition leader will be from the second largest party in the National Assembly,” he said. “We would have no issue if PTI becomes the second biggest party and gets the opposition leader slot.”
President Zardari said that the PPP lost 40 to 45 seats because of its poor elections strategy. Asked what would be the party’s strategy if the 2013 elections were held again, the president said he would step down to lead PPP’s election campaign.
He said that Manzoor Wattoo was made the president of Punjab chapter of PPP in view of the traditional biradri politics in the province not because of his ideological stance. Wattoo worked hard but unfortunately his efforts did not yield the desired results, he added.
He said two former premiers from his party – Yousaf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf – could not effectively lead PPP’s election campaign. Gilani was busy making efforts for the recovery of his son, while Ashraf was fighting court cases against him.
The president also blamed the energy crisis for the poor performance of PPP in the elections. “The PPP government could not handle the electricity crisis and this caused the party’s defeat in the elections,” he added.
About Sindh where the PPP has emerged as the single largest party, President Zardari said that the PPP would form a coalition government with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), though the party has enough seats to form the next government independently.
Damm, still not considering the way they performed???
haha!
First of all, Mr President. The RO are state functionaries who MUST remain neutral and up-right. Something you would not understand.
The reason the PPP have ceased to be a federation wide party is because of YOU! Your corruption and hand picked gang of idiots
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Punjab ROs' "neutral" ???
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"corruption and hand picked … idiots" is true, but 'Bilal and complacency' also needs honorable mention …
Point taken.
The fact that Todays PPP has nothing in common with the PPP of ZAB or BB also deserves a mention.
Also that the RO of interior Sindh should be looked at through the prism of the PPP Wadera/feudal mentality.
The PTS Tsunami may have been stopped by manipulation but any hydro-engineer will tell you that the force of nature that is a flood must be harnessed and diverted. Damming it won't hold for long
Respected president Saheb,defeat is a defeat afterall and to wind up the reasons does not suit to disclose at the losing the game.One day I was watching the cricket of India and an Idian player Dilip Doshi was out,but he refused to accept empire`s decision and started weeping like an innocent child that he was not out and started crying,the empired again raised his finger and asked him to leave the ground,but he again disobeyed the decision and afterall empire asked him to face the boling and in ball he was clean bowled and next matches he was dropped from the cricket squad.President Saheb,during the last 5 years your performance was zeero and only one man got too much benefits and that was your son Bilawal Bhutto.Plz.accept your defeat,otherwise the TIGER will again come and digest all the remaining MNAS AND MPAS.
dear sir ppp ki defeat mn ap smait jin logön ka ap nay mame lya saray hi zimadar hn mqm jo k 1 terriest party ha is say apna picha chorao pak ko tornay ki bat krnay walay ko log kasay vote daitay is tenior mn scandle hi scandle hotay rahay ap hakikut ko tasleem kr lain thanx
Mr. President:
Unless you realize that the election was lost becuase of corruption, bad governance and bad leadership, PPP will meet the same fate in 2018. Please get rid of the corrupt leaders such a Raja Rental, Gilani, Rehman Malik and cronize like Amin Gahim and re-organize the whole party structure starting with yourself. Once this id done, there will some hope in the future, if not, then I see another very long night in the election of 2018.
The truth of the matter is that PPP lost only, and ONLY because of Zardari. While luck (or a fake 'will') had placed him where he is, his casual, and non serious way of governing (take the example of putting Raja Rental as PM) has done irreparable loss to PPP. Mark my words, PPP and Zardari (nor any of his children, be it Bilawal or any body), can go to gather. The situation may be redeemable now but if he continues to cling both PPP and he himself will soon disappear in the dustbin of history.
Damm, still not considering the way they performed???
haha!
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