ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) will boycott the upcoming presidential election over the supreme court's decision to direct the election commission to hold the vote on July 30 instead of August 6.
Pakistan's main opposition party informed the Election Commission in writing about its boycott decision on Friday. PPP senator and presidential candidate Raza Rabbani said his party was left with no option except to boycott the election. "The SC took a unilateral decision while announcing a new election date," Rabbani said. "It did not issue us any notices, nor did they hear us or provide us an opportunity to present our point of view. The apex court's decision seems to be a move to impose the Centre's rule again. Boycotting the presidential election is part of the struggle against the military and civilian dictatorship."
Rabbani said the court decision had made it difficult for him and other opposition candidates to campaign in four provincial capitals and the federal capital Islamabad in just two days.
Following the court decision, three other parties — the Awami National Party, the Baluchistan National Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid — announced their support for the PPP's boycott.
The Election Commission of Pakistan had originally announced August 6 as the date for the presidential election. After it had turned down the government's request to change the poll date, the ruling PML-N submitted a petition in the apex court.
The party had told the court more than a hundred lawmakers would not be available to vote since some would be performing the Umra in Saudi Arabia, while others would be busy offering special prayers during the last 10 days of Ramzan.
The apex court decided in favour of the PML-N and directed the election commission to hold the poll on July 30.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/PPP-to-boycott-president-poll-says-no-time-to-campaign/articleshow/21383296.cms
Pakistan's main opposition party informed the Election Commission in writing about its boycott decision on Friday. PPP senator and presidential candidate Raza Rabbani said his party was left with no option except to boycott the election. "The SC took a unilateral decision while announcing a new election date," Rabbani said. "It did not issue us any notices, nor did they hear us or provide us an opportunity to present our point of view. The apex court's decision seems to be a move to impose the Centre's rule again. Boycotting the presidential election is part of the struggle against the military and civilian dictatorship."
Rabbani said the court decision had made it difficult for him and other opposition candidates to campaign in four provincial capitals and the federal capital Islamabad in just two days.
Following the court decision, three other parties — the Awami National Party, the Baluchistan National Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid — announced their support for the PPP's boycott.
The Election Commission of Pakistan had originally announced August 6 as the date for the presidential election. After it had turned down the government's request to change the poll date, the ruling PML-N submitted a petition in the apex court.
The party had told the court more than a hundred lawmakers would not be available to vote since some would be performing the Umra in Saudi Arabia, while others would be busy offering special prayers during the last 10 days of Ramzan.
The apex court decided in favour of the PML-N and directed the election commission to hold the poll on July 30.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/PPP-to-boycott-president-poll-says-no-time-to-campaign/articleshow/21383296.cms
No comments:
Post a Comment