Pressure being exerted to change loyalties of candidates: PPP

KARACHI: The PPP leader Senator Maula Bakhsh Chandio has said pressure is being applied to change the loyalties of electoral candidates of the Pakistan People's Party.

In a press statement on Friday, Chandio said it is being said that after the PML-N, it is now the turn to break up the People's Party. Those having such a wish should not remain under any mistaken belief as the PPP was never broken up earlier nor it would split in future, he said.

Demanding free, fair, and transparent general elections, he said all the relevant institutions, including Election Commission of Pakistan, should ensure that they act in a neutral and independent manner. Chandio said the Election Commission should make efforts to maintain peoples’ confidence in the electoral process. “If the peoples’ confidence in the electoral process is shattered, it will have serious repercussions for the federation and democracy,” he said.

Imran Khan, he said, is giving the impression that the Tehreek-e-Insaf has emerged as the Kings’ Party and the Q-League of the present time. “The blue-eyed Imran Khan on basis of attitude of the institutions is claiming that he will form the (next) government.” He said when the earlier Q-League, which worked brazenly did not benefit the country, then how come this clandestine Q-League (PTI) be helpful.

The PPP senator said time has once again bestowed upon the PPP the role to combat the remnants of the dictatorships of both Zia and Musharraf. He said the third consecutive general elections are going to be held in the country after Musharraf’s martial law, without any hindrance, due to the wise thinking of Asif Ali Zardari and Benazir’s sacrifice.

He said the PPP loyalists would not let the sacrifices of the party leadership and their own struggle go in vain and would jealously guard every vote.