Every plot to postpone polls will be foiled

KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari said on Wednesday that no one would be allowed to derail the democratic system and conspiracies to postpone elections would be foiled.

He was talking to the core committee meeting of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), attended by Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, his predecessor Yusuf Raza Gilani, federal ministers Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah and Senator Jahangir Badr.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was also present on the occasion. The committee discussed the overall security situation of the country against the backdrop of Tahirul Qadri’s long march announcements.

A four-member committee, comprising Khursheed Shah, Senator Farooq Naek, Nazar Muhammad Gondal and Senator Mian Raza Rabbani, was formed to talk to the political forces and the Punjab government on the issue of challenges to transparent elections.

The PPP leaders made it clear that elections will be held on time. The formation of a caretaker set-up and PPP’s relations with its coalition partners were also reviewed in detail.

They said that the forthcoming elections would be held on time, refuted all reports of a delay in elections and reiterated that the caretaker set-up would be formed within the domain of the Constitution.

The PPP leadership decided that the government would leave no stone unturned to improve the law and order situation.

Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf briefed the president on his recent meetings with Nawaz Sharif, Asfandyar Wali and other political leaders of the country.

The meeting noted that if elections can be held in war-torn Afghanistan and Iraq, there was no reason that these could not be held in Pakistan on time.

In the end, President Asif Ali Zardari administered oath to Malik Asif Hayat as Chairman Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC).

Separately, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held a meeting with Federal Law Minister Farooq H Naek and PPP southern Punjab President Makhdoom Shahabuddin at Bilawal House. Bilawal said the PPP was fully committed to the creation of a southern Punjab province as per the aspirations of the people of area.

Naek briefed Bilawal on the legal issues pertaining to the government and the party. Shahabuddin apprised him of the political situation in southern Punjab.

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