Seven opposition parties demand ECP officials’ resignations ahead of Punjab LB polls
Seven opposition parties have stood against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Punjab and decided seat adjustment in local bodies’ election.
Per details, opposition parties have geared up for polls and have demanded resignations of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) officials, re-provision of election funds and stern action against suspects involved in ModelTown vandalism ahead Punjab LB elections.
The decisions were taken during a meeting held at Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Mian Manzoor Watto’s residence in Lahore on Sunday.
The opposition parties meeting was attended by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s Chaudhry Sawrar, Jamat-e-Islami (JI)’s Liaqat Baloch, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)’s Nawaz Gandapur, Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP)’s Pir Ejaz Hashmi, SIC’s Jawadul Hassan Kazmi and Majlis-e-Wahditul Muslimeen (MWM)’s Asad Abbas Naqvi. Southern Punjab President Makhdoom Ahmed Mahmood was specially invited for this meeting as well.
While briefing the media after the meeting, Wattoo said that the participants expressed their grave concern over the plight of the farmer community that had been devastated by the anti-farmer policy of this government. It was decided to express total solidarity with the community and take part in their struggle till the acceptance of their demands.
He added that the political leaders also expressed their total support for the demand of the traders who had been protesting and urging the government to withdraw the withholding tax. They are already destroyed due to irrational GTS and expensive electricity.
He said that the leaders of the parties had urged the members of the ECP to step down because there was no justification for them to stay after the Judicial Commission’s report and the recent decisions of the election tribunals. He added their continuity would make the local bodies elections controversial that would not bode well for the whole system.
He said it was also decided to allow the district level organisation of the respective parties to go for seat adjustment keeping in view the local dynamics of politics.
The participants expressed their strong reservations regarding the allocation of development funds recently in each constituency and described it as pre-poll rigging. They urged the ECP to take notice of it. He added that they were in favour of disqualifying the government candidate if he was proved guilty of using the development funds in his constituency.
He added that the participants urged the ECP to ensure the deployment of neutral teams during the local bodies’ elections because the administration in Punjab was behaving like the “B team of the government”. This aspect must be taken care of otherwise the whole electoral process will be in jeopardy, he added.
He said that the participants paid rich tributes to the Pakistan Army that had defended the country in 1965 against Indian aggression and now engaged against terrorism and extremism and had gained significant successes under the Operation Zarb-i- Azab.
While responding to journalists, Chaudhry Sarwar said that there was no moral justification for the members of the ECP to stay as they had become highly controversial. He added that the participants supported the state institutions in the war against terrorism adding that corruption should also be handled because it was also a type of terrorism.
In the meanwhile, Liaqat Baloch maintained that it was beyond comprehension to go for elections without bringing in electoral reforms adding it had been decided to take part in elections so that the field should not be left open for the government. He also urged to eliminate corruption because it posed serious threat to the national security.
