The major opposition party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which shows it readiness for general elections as early as today, but issues such as incomplete electoral rolls, independent election commission and impartial interim setup are yet to be settled.
When contacted, PML-N spokesman Siddiqul Farooq said his party was ready for general elections as early as today. However, when asked that the process such as completion of new electoral roles is yet to be finalised, Farooq came up with a different view saying: "We are ready if the whole process is completed...if the assemblies are dissolved, general elections will be held within 90 days under an independent interim setup."
About the electoral rolls, he alleged that the government was deliberately delaying the process. To a question whether his party was ready to contest the elections under the present Election Commission, he said if all the political parties, contesting elections, did not oppose, his party may also agree with them. But he added that reservations of the political parties must be addressed before elections.
Meanwhile, a spokesman of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) said that the party was ready to participate in general elections under an interim setup and President Asif Ali Zardari, but added that democratic forces of the country should come up with a strategy aimed at further strengthening the democratic process. He said the party was in touch with various political forces for holding early elections in the country.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) are at different stages of preparation for an early elections, but the polls can not be held as the mechanism needs at least six months to put the house in order for going to the masses till the end of the current year.
The incumbent Chief Election Commissioner former Justice Hamid Ali Mirza is going to retire in the last week of March and appointment of an impartial Election Commissioner is hanging in balance and possibility of holding early polls will once again be in shambles.
According sources, PTI that is in its infancy, is busy gaining masses' support, mobilising people at the grassroots level, hitherto at a slow pace. The PTI chief also does not seem to be in a hurry to play the match before his team reaches the milestone to win the match with a thumping majority.
The PTI by no means is ready to go to polls with the current electoral rolls, which it has made clear time and again, would not be acceptable due to numerous errors pointed out at different fora. Besides, the party's policy wizard is busy day and night to give a unique election manifesto for fulfilling the long-awaited dreams of people. Imran has already said the current voter lists contain 37 million bogus votes and any party will go to elections with these lists, it would tantamount to rig the polls once again, which PTI would never let it happen.
Jamaat-i-Islami has got out of mind the mid-term elections as it says this year is the election year, God knows how they will be able to hold elections this year as earlier it has been pointed out repeatedly that readiness of the Election Commission is the basic element for holding fresh elections though they want it tomorrow, this year or whenever they deem it fit.
JI Central Secretary General Liaquat Baloch said that the JI infrastructure is such that it is always ready for elections but being a seasoned politician, he is oblivious of the fact that a singular party's infrastructure is not sufficient enough to conduct fresh elections.
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