PPP endorses PTI’s stance but doesn’t want to rock the boat

• Zardari says he agrees with Khan’s viewpoint on elections rigging and his demand for fair elections, however stresses that democracy should not be harmed
• PPP spokesperson says emphasis of Zardari’s phone calls to Khan and Haq was on protection of democracy while pressing the government to listen to voices of logic

Former president and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday telephoned Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and told him that he agreed that last year’s general elections had been rigged and PPP has also been demanding free and fair elections, however the democratic system should not be derailed.

PPP spokesman Senator Farhatullah Babar said that in a telephonic conversation with Khan, the former president said that PPP agreed with the contention of recount in the disputed constituencies under the law and opposed the calling in of troops in Islamabad under Article 245 of the Constitution. He said invoking Article 245 was a “fatal decision that will have serious repercussions” and the decision should be reviewed by the government.

However, it was also crucial that no opportunity was provided to anyone to derail the democratic system in the country behind the façade of political instability, he said.

‘WORST DEMOCRACY IS BETTER THAN DICTATORSHIP’:

Separately, in a telephonic conversation with Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq, Zardari also reiterated the same view point saying that he believed that the guiding principle should be that “worst democracy is better than dictatorship”.

Babar said that the “emphasis” of Zardari’s phone calls was on protection of democracy and constitutionalism while sending a clear message to the government to listen to the voices of reason and logic.

Babar said that Zardari was “genuinely concerned” over the direction and momentum of the political course in the country. He was keen to consult all political forces in a bid to protect democratic structures from being undermined under any pretext and the phone calls were a part of the consultative process.

At the same time, the former president is keen to dissuade the government from any “knee-jerk reaction” or embarking upon an “irrational and illogical” course that may result in political instability and expose the democratic institutions to new and unforeseen threats.

Meanwhile, in reply to a question, the spokesperson said that the PPP would not participate in the PAT’s gathering on August 10 in Lahore ostensibly to pay homage to the victims of June 17 Model Town tragedy.

While the PPP condemns the Model Town incident, calls for registration of FIR, holding of judicial inquiry and punishment to those who transgressed authority and also deeply sympathizes with bereaved families of the victims, it will not do anything that might be seen as aligning with PAT’s so called “revolution march” on Islamabad, he said.