So much distrust and disunity amongst our so-called opposition parties.
Nawaz urges Benazir to ‘clarify’ position
The Pakistan Muslim League of Mian Nawaz Sharif proposed on Friday that PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto should delay the all-party conference she plans to hold on Nov 21 and, before setting a new date, should clarify her position on the four issues raised by Mr Sharif in a letter. PML(N) Chairman Raja Zafrul Haq told Dawn on Friday that the two former prime ministers had held a two-hour telephone conversation on Thursday night, but the PPP position on the issues remained unclear. “And unless the PML(N)’s questions are replied satisfactorily, the party will not attend the APC,” he said. He said in the present situation not many parties would be attending the conference and it would become a fruitless exercise.
Mr Sharif wants the PPP chairperson to demand the reinstatement of deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and other judges, restoration of the Constitution as it was in October 1999, withdrawal of the PCO, lifting of the state of emergency, complete press freedom and free and fair elections under an independent and effective Election Commission, before expecting the PML-N to participate in the conference.
The PPP and the PML-N were together in the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy for about seven years. But they parted company in July when the PML-N decided to form a new alliance — the All Parties Democratic Movement — which the PPP did not join because of its reservations about religious parties being its components. Raja Zafar said US Assistant Secretary of State John Negroponte was in Islamabad and reportedly he would try to resolve differences between Gen Musharraf and Ms Bhutto. And if the PPP chairperson agreed to work with the military leader, he said, a decision by other parties to attend the PPP-sponsored APC would put them in an embarrassing situation.
**He said the parties in the APDM would take a decision about participating, or otherwise, in the APC, and this was not possible at this stage because of differences between Jamaat-i-Islami and Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf. **In his opinion, the best course for the PPP leadership in the present circumstances was to delay the APC for some time. Replying to a question, Raja Zafar said his party would not accept any decision of the present Supreme Court about eligibility of Gen Musharraf for the office of president for another term. He said his party would never accept the revival of the infamous doctrine of necessity.
Re: Nawaz wants answers from BB & delay to "All-Party Conference"
Not only distrust amongst the opposition leaders, but by the public of the former leaders.
There are reports that BB had another secret meeting with Musharraf the other day in Karachi, at the same time she is calling for opposition unity. So there is bound to be mistrust of her.
Re: Nawaz wants answers from BB & delay to "All-Party Conference"
Nawaz must have written to BB that ‘because of our fight for the ‘meat on the bone’, someone took it and gave it to public, so now after tasting meat, it would be impossible that public will vote us in again, and since there is no army to put a clean cap on our head, we (BB and NS) should think of something creative, let call our mutual friends in USA, so that they can force Musharraf to let us fool the public and get into power again, and this time we wont fight but share the meat and as usual throw the bone for public consumption’. Now, Nawaz wants the answer that BB would share the meat or would keep trying to eat it all.
Re: Nawaz wants answers from BB & delay to “All-Party Conference”
**Nawaz says Bhutto resisting his call for election boycott
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Updated at 2245 PST
ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said Wednesday that rival opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was resisting his call for a boycott of Pakistan’s crucial parliamentary elections.
Re: Nawaz wants answers from BB & delay to "All-Party Conference"
Well Nawaz wants to rush back to Pakistan before 26th November, the last date to register for the elections. So he is not that serious anymore about actually boycotting the elections as well.
Re: Nawaz wants answers from BB & delay to "All-Party Conference"
Well Nawaz wants to rush back to Pakistan before 26th November, the last date to register for the elections. So he is not that serious anymore about actually boycotting the elections as well.
Re: Nawaz wants answers from BB & delay to “All-Party Conference”
PPP opposes boycott
LAHORE - PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto has finally conveyed to PML (N) top leader Nawaz Sharif that majority of her party leaders is against the idea of boycotting forthcoming elections. Benazir conveyed her party’s reservations towards election boycott in a telephonic conversation with Nawaz Thursday. It is learnt that Benazir told Nawaz that boycotting elections by PPP in 1985 was not a very good experience for her party. She said then the boycott had dented her party vote bank considerably. Benazir also believed that boycott of election would be counterproductive when others were also in the race. She said with JUI, MQM, ANP PML (QA) taking part elections, the boycotting on the part of PPP or PML (N) would create no impact with urban centres in the country bustling with election activities.
She was of the view that by staying in the elections, the opposition parties at least could agitate in case election results were being rigged. Most opposition parties including PML (N) were not in favour of elections under emergency and President Musharraf. As such Benazir Bhutto was in the tight spot when Nawaz Sharif in response to her effort to make a grand alliance against Musharraf asked her to clarify her position on election and judges deposed by Musharraf before proceeding any further. Benazir Bhutto though is vocal on the need of independence of judiciary, yet she falls short in demanding the government strongly to restore pre-emergency judiciary.
