KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Syed Khursheed Shah has voiced his serious concerns over the transparency of the upcoming general elections, claiming that a level playing field is not being provided to all political parties.
He was speaking to the media in Karachi on Monday.
“Disqualify them, lock them up, and hand the election to Sheikh Rasheed,” Shah said, referring to the life imprisonment sentence awarded to Pakistan Muslim-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hanif Abbasi in the ephedrine quota case just three days ahead of the general elections.
“I have my political differences with PML-N but I take exception to the judgement against Hanif Abbasi,” he said.
“The message we are giving to the public is that he [Abbasi] was disqualified to hand the election to Sheikh Rasheed,” Shah said.
Referring to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s conviction in the Avenfield case, he said that the court’s decision coincided with this week’s general elections.
“Even his [Nawaz’s] bail hearing has been fixed after July 25,” he added.
The PPP leader cried foul over old cases being reopened against PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari ahead of polls.
Fearing further occurrence of similar events in the days to come, he said that verdicts like these have adversely affected the reputation of July 25 polls. The court should issue a stay order over Abbasi’s verdict and allow him to contest the election on Wednesday, he added.
