PPP, PML-N to contest polls despite delay

NAUDERO—The Central Executive Committee and Federal Council of Pakistan Peoples Party which met here Wednesday at Bhutto House decided to hold the “chehlum’ of Benazir Bhutto on February 7. In this regard Quran and Fateha Khawani will be held at all District Headquarters of the party besides a big gathering in Naudero where PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari will himself be present.
Later, addressing a press conference after the joint meeting of CEC and Federal Council, Asif Ali Zardari said the meeting condemned the postponement of elections, but still it will take part in the elections and will not allow the rulers to flee. He invited all friends and foes of the party to participate in the Chelum of Benazir Bhutto.
“We will sit together and share our grief”, Asif Zardari told the press conference. He called upon the authorities not to arrest the party’s friends and workers as the incidents in the aftermath of assassination of Benazir Bhutto were not part of party’s planned confrontation but instant expression of sentiments of grieved people.
He reiterated the demand for inviting a UN-sponsored Commission to investigate the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. He asked where was the Scotland yard when first attack was carried out against Benazir Bhutto and she demanded an investigation through Scotland yard. Asif Zarrdari said that if elections were rigged the consequences of the same will have to be borne by the rulers.
“We don’t want confrontation because late Z.A. Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto have taught us to love”. But, he said, rulers should be afraid of those days when hearts of our people may burst and then neither me nor party will be able to control them while we have already lost half of our country. Co-Chairman PPP said the party today decided to send delegations abroad and tell them and convince them that they should pay heed to what the people say and not to rulers. He said the day will come when people will emerge triumphant and will rule the country.
Chairman PML-N Raja Zafarul Haq Wednesday said that Executive Council of his party will decide its strategy on postponement of election till February 18. In a telephonic interview to Geo television the PMLN leader said that it was the responsibility of government to ensure the security of political leadership and likewise it was the responsibility of Election Commission of Pakistan to hold election on due date.
He said both of them have failed in delivering their responsibility and his party will evolve a strategy very soon. When asked if he was contacted by the ECP on the postponement of election Raja replied in negative. However, he said the ECP might have contacted Ahsan Iqbal.
He said that if such contact was made with Ahsan Iqbal his most probable reply would have been that election should be held on schedule time.

—Agencies