PML-N, PPP agree to go to parliament

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Sunday agreed to use the platform of parliament to challenge the election results and decided to convince other political parties, which have reservations on the results, to revise their decision of not taking oath of the new National Assembly.

The PPP committee comprising Opposition Leader in the Senate Sherry Rehman, Syed Khursheed Shah, former prime ministers Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Farhatullah Babar held a meeting with the PML-N team including Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed and decided to convince other political parties to use the platform of parliament for raising voice against alleged rigging and to give a tough time to the upcoming government of Imran Khan-led PTI.

After holding a meeting with the PML-N, the PPP delegation held a meeting with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Fazlur Rehman sought time to respond to the PPP request, saying that he will respond on it after consultation with the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA).

Meanwhile, despite their serious reservations and demanding the resignation of chief election commissioner (CEC) and members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), both the PML-N and PPP decided that their elected candidates will take the oath of the National Assembly and challenge the 'rigging and stolen mandate' in the parliament.

It was also decided in the meeting that after holding meetings with all the opposition parties, a meeting of heads of all these parties would be convened to come up with a strategy against the rigged elections.

The PML-N President, Shahbaz Sharif, was supposed to attend the meeting, but due to a meeting of the PML-N in Lahore, he could not reach Islamabad.

Later, talking to media persons after the meeting, Farhatullah Babar said there was a complete consensus between the PPP and PML-N that the elections 2018 were rigged and the mandate was stolen.

“Both the parties also agreed that the Election Commission has completely failed to perform its constitutional duty of holding free, fair and transparent elections,” he said.

Babar said the PPP during the meeting told the PML-N about its stance that the forum of parliament should not be left and rather it should be used to challenge those who stole the mandate.

“We could play a decisive role in the parliament and expose those who stole the people’s mandate,” he said, adding, “If we come out from the parliament, then anti-democratic elements will succeed.”

Babar said the PML-N also shared the same view and it was decided that both the parties will hold a meeting with the MMA and convince it to reconsider its decision.

“It was also decided to hold a joint meeting of the PPP, PML-N, MMA and other parties to formulate the future line of action,” he said. After the meeting with the PPP delegation, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said he appreciates the PPP stance of rejection of general elections.

“Consultation on the issue of whether to go to the parliament will continue today (Monday),” he said.

He said the mandate of the people was stolen and it could not be tolerated. Khursheed Shah said Imran Khan can form government in the Centre if he has the required numbers, but he doesn't have the required numbers.

“Despite getting all favours, Imran Khan could not get the simple majority in the election,” he said.

He said the PPP has nothing to do with the formation of the provincial government in Punjab. He reaffirmed that the party will sit in the parliament despite having rejected the election results.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), while rejecting the Election 2018 results, Sunday demanded the formation of an independent judicial commission comprising non-PCO judges to investigate the election day rigging charges.

Following two meetings of the PML-N bigwigs at their Model Town Secretariat, Khwaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal and Mushahidullah Khan addressed the media. They said the PML-N would not accept the election results at all and launch a movement against the robbing of people’s mandate, in consultation with other political parties.

The meeting was chaired by PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, and attended by senior leaders and winners of the General Election 2018. Prominent among them were Ahsan Iqbal, Mushahidullah Khan, Khwaja Asif, Hamza Shahbaz, Pervez Malik and Ali Pervez Malik. However, Hamza Shahbaz left the meeting an hour before its conclusion.

The PML-N leaders said the chief justice of Pakistan was very fond of taking suo motu notices; therefore, he should take notice of the legit objections by the largest political party of the country and form an independent judicial commission. The PML-N will also issue a ‘White Paper’ over the events of election day and provide it to the judicial commission as well.

The PML-N leaders expressed concerns over the circumstances under which the convicted party quaid Nawaz Sharif was being treated in prison. They demanded an investigation into the matter and utmost care for the ailing party leader.

They condemned the killing of PML-N workers in Mansehra and demanded the arrest of killers. The PML-N leaders demanded that all cases registered against the party workers under terrorism act should be withdrawn immediately.

Earlier, during the meeting, there seemed to be a consensus among the participants over not boycotting the parliament or the oath-taking ceremony. However, they strongly opposed accepting the election results. There were multiple proposals on what mode of protest should be adopted in this regard.