- Zardari arrives in Pakistan, to chair party’s CEC meeting today
KARACHI
STAFF REPORT
Apparently concerned over severe political strife between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) and the federal government, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari Thursday arrived in the country from Dubai and is scheduled to chair PPP’s central executive committee meeting in Karachi today (Friday).
During a party meeting in Dubai late Wednesday, PPP expressed concern over what they termed “short-sighted and high-handed” tactics of the government in dealing with the PTI and PAT’s long marchers in Islamabad.
During the meeting jointly chaired by Zardari and PPP Patron-in-chief Bilawal Bhutto, Zardari stressed that the current political crisis should be addressed through dialogue and within the framework of the constitution.
The meeting also condemned the murders in Model Town, Lahore, on June 17 and demanded that an FIR be expeditiously registered in accordance with the law.
The party observed that any unconstitutional path taken to resolve the current stalemate would be detrimental to the future of democracy and stability in Pakistan.
The PPP co-chairman noted that instead of focusing on providing relief to a million citizens of North Waziristan, who have been displaced following the ongoing military offensive in the region, both the provincial and federal governments have entangled themselves and Pakistan in a protracted dispute that was “eminently avoidable”.
Moreover, party members said that the long overdue electoral reforms should be taken up by a parliamentary committee and completed after broad consultation within a stipulated timeframe.