All Parties Conference: PML-N, MMA call for fresh election
Shares
ISLAMABAD: The All Parties Conference (APC) on Friday unanimously rejected the results of July 25 polls demanding fresh free, fair and transparent elections in the country. However, the conference fell short of taking a consensus decision on whether or not to take oath [as members of Parliament].
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) and other parties attended the conference at the residence of JI leader Mian Aslam. “We have decided to organise a movement to press for fresh elections, as the ‘manipulated’ results are not acceptable to us,” MMA President Fazlur Rehman said while briefing the media.
Fazl said they would not allow those claiming heavy mandate to run the parliament. Fazl said they would not accept the results, as the masses mandate had been stolen adding that a strategy for starting the movement would be finalised in the next few days. He said the PTI would not be allowed to enter the parliament or run its proceedings. “They got a fake mandate with the support of establishment,” he said, adding parliament is a sacred institution and those stealing the mandate of the masses will not be allowed to enter it. He regretted the performance of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and asked as to why it had wasted Rs20 billion.
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) stayed away from the conference, conveying to the MMA leadership that they were busy attending a meeting of the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC). However, the PPP conveyed an impression that they did not want to take any extreme measures. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) decided against attending the conference after its leadership was approached by the PTI. However, defying the party’s decision, Dr. Farooq Sattar attended the meeting.
Some MMA leaders proposed that no successful candidate from any party should take oath [as a member of the National Assembly] but a final decision could not be taken as PML-N President Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif sought some time to consult his party’s Central Working Committee(CWC). “I agree with the proposal of launching a movement against the election results but need a couple of days to consult my party’s CWC whether oath should be taken or not,” Shahbaz Sharif told newsmen. Shahbaz said rigging in the July 25 election was unprecedented. “There were worst irregularities in the general elections having no precedence in the past,” he said.
The PML-N President Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, PML-N Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, MMA President Fazlur Rehman, Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Senator Sirajul Haq, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, JI’s Liaquat Baloch, Dr. Farooq Sattar, Governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair, Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao of Qaumi Watan Party, AJK prime minister, chief minister of Gilgit-Baltistan and others attended the conference.
AFP
