- Former prime minister speaks to Pakistan Today
By Sheikh Haq Nawaz
Former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, while talking to Pakistan Today, said without due reforms in the current electoral system, the coming general elections would not be able to produce real, transparent electoral results with clear shades of masses’ own choice and will.
“If the political parties want to take part in rigging-free elections, they would have to at first wipe out all the existing flaws in the current electoral system; otherwise, they would once again commit a blunder and be disappointed by the unexpected electoral results,” he observed.
Talking about the judicial system, he said, “History is evident that despite having concrete and legitimate reservations we (the Pakistan People’s Party) have always honoured the country’s court’s verdicts—whether they were disputed or undisputed in the eyes of the people and the law specialists.”
“We have complied with all the court orders, met their requirements and completed the demands of these verdicts without getting any solace from these courts; thus, presented practical examples of upholding the judicial decisions,” he added. “In this regard, my own case of dissolution as the prime minister of Pakistan, along with Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s execution, is sufficient proof.”
He said that history would always remember the PPP as passive but obedient and silent followers of the court’s orders. “Our (PPP its leadership and workers) sacrifices for the consolidation of democracy, its continuation and maintaining the supremacy and the restoration of the constitution of 1973 could never be ignored,” he remarked.
Gilani said that it’s the PPP whose leadership surrendered the powers to others just for the stability of constitutional democratic development process which could never be expected from others. “It is an unbreakable reality which must be accepted by all of us,” he opined.
Talking about the party, he added that PPP is a nationwide political party even today, which is the symbol of democracy, unity and stability of the federation of Pakistan. “So this national political party would play its due role in the coming general elections effectively with new zeal and zest,” he said.
Gilani predicted that all political parties must be fully conscious and well aware of the fact that the next general election would not be a normal one; the current rulers would use each and every possible mean, source and power they have to win the electoral fight. Therefore, he said, “This is the ripe time that all the like-minded parties unite against these rulers and start their joint struggle for electoral success.”
He pointed out that the time had gone when one party could form a government through its individual position. “Now, this was the era of coalition governments in Pakistan so we all must accept this ground reality and start thinking seriously in indulging in a joint electoral struggle,” said the former prime minister.
