Re: Election commission postpones election
Parties criticise govt for postponing polls
** Allege move has been made to give PML-Q advantage over other parties
Staff Report*
LAHORE: Political parties, especially those taking part in the election, have criticised the government for postponing the election to February 18. They have alleged that the move has been made to give the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) an advantage over the other parties.
However, they said the PML-Q would face certain defeat even if the election were held on a later date.
PML-Nawaz’s Raja Zafarul Haq said there was no justification to extend the election date. “The only justification can be to give the PML-Q an advantage over the other parties. The government is using various tactics to support the PML-Q, but none will prove fruitful for the party,” he added.
Jamaat-e-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed said the Pakistan People’s Party and PML-N should boycott the election and join the movement to remove President Pervez Musharraf from office.
He said a new government should form a new Election Commission to conduct the election after Musharraf’s removal. He alleged that a free and fair election under Musharraf was impossible and that the opposition parties had not accepted him as a presidential candidate.
He said every step taken by Musharraf was unconstitutional including the imposition of martial law and the removal of judges. He said the opposition parties, after the death of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto, should not accept Musharraf as president or contest the election under his rule.
He demanded the PPP and PML-N lead the country to get Musharraf out of office.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\01\03\story_3-1-2008_pg7_42