Conspiracies behind PPP's defeat in polls: Zardari
21 May, 2013
LAHORE: President of Pakistan and Co-Chairman of the Pakistan People's Party Asif Ali Zardari has constituted a special committee to ascertain the reasons of his party's defeat in May 11 elections, while claiming an national and international conspiracy was behind his party's rout.
The president held a special meeting with the PPP's ticket holders and office-bearers in Punjab along with some central leaders at the Bilawal House on Monday. Yousaf Raza Gilani, Latif Khosa, Manzoor Wattoo, Samina Ghurki, Ahmad Mukhtar, Raja Riaz, Nazar Gondal were among those present. PPP sources informed this scribe that the participants of the meeting loudly criticised some of the key leaders of the party, especially Yousaf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Manzoor Wattoo and other key position holders. They alleged that the results were a reflection of their poor performance.
Addressing the gathering, President Zardari said that the PPP has accepted defeat despite reservations, as elections were "well-manipulated by the local and international actors against the PPP" but vowed that such defeat would not dim the hopes of Bhuttos' workers. He noted that even after the 1997 elections some people were thinking that the PPP has been dissolved, but Bhutto's party survived. He asserted that it would remain intact in the future as well.
Highlighting what he considers the major reason for the rout of party in the elections, Zardari said that PPP did not get a level playing field and due to Taliban's terrorism could not run its election campaign. He announced that he himself would enter politics again after leaving the office of the president after completing his tenure. He said all three of his children would be among party workers to lead the party.
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari telephoned PML-N Preisdent Nawaz Sharif and felicitated him on his party's victory in elections. The president also telephoned Fazlur Rahman of the JUI-F and ANP President Asfandyar Wali.
Spokesperson to the president Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the president felicitated the people and all parties on participation in elections and paving the way for the first democratic transition in the country.
The spokesperson quoted Zardari as saying that the elections followed by smooth transfer of power in the coming days will be remembered as a watershed in our political evolution and a triumph of the democratic ethos of the people and the political parties.
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