Clearly not reassured by General Kayani’s statement on Tuesday that the election will be held on time, the leaders of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP) on Wednesday called upon ulema and scholars to issue a fatwa against terrorism and termed the elections as a battle between forces which were for and against the Taliban. They also expressed apprehensions as to whether elections in the current circumstances could be held in a free and transparent manner.
These three parties have been facing terrorist attacks recently forcing them to restrict their election campaigns. Dozens of political activists from PPP, MQM and ANP have been killed in these attacks.
PPP’s Rehman Malik, MQM’s Farooq Sattar and ANP’s Shahi Syed addressed a news briefing in Karachi on Wednesday.
In an apparent reference to PML-N and PTI, they questioned why some political parties had been given freedom to carry out their election activities while others have become constant target for the extremists. They said a conspiracy was being hatched to ensure that right wing parties come to power in the May 11 elections. They urged the people to support them in the polls and defeat the “nefarious designs of extremists and terrorists”.
MQM’s Farooq Sattar said progressive parties were being prevented from actively participating in election campaigns. “The election campaign is being dictated by the Taliban and not the Election Commission,” he asserted.
The leaders of PPP, MQM and ANP welcomed the remarks of General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani that the war against terrorists was Pakistan’s war.
In Pakistan, there has always been a struggle between progressive and conservative forces. If we look critically, we may find that all institutions of the state and procedures are heavily skewed in favour of conservative parties. These institutions and procedures create hurdles to thwart easy and smooth entry of any liberal or progressive party into system. Present violence against all centre-left parties is a naked use of violence that is embedded into Pakistani society and system. That is why we do not see any protest or credible condemnation of violence against political parties taking the brunt. People who are unleashing violence against these progressive parties are not doing it because of mis-governance or corruption, they are doing because they know that they are only force against their agenda of terror. Do not forget that JUI-F, PML-F and PML-Q were also part of last government and because of their conservative agenda they have been spared. Lets face it, if TTP were given a choice to select which political party they would like to see in power, their obvious choice would be either PTI or PML-N.
The pic reminded me of "The Three Stooges"……..
Kayani must ask them to explain as they have put charges against him as being in collaboration with external powers
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