Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has strongly condemned a suspected conspiracy by a top opposition leader to "manage" the rejection of former premier Nawaz Sharif and his brother's nomination papers for upcoming by-elections.
A spokesperson for Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) alleged that leader of the opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi used his influence to keep Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif out of the electoral race. He produced before the media here an audiotape in which Elahi was caught telling some unknown associate that he had managed things in such a way that Sharif brothers' nomination paper would not be accepted.
However, Pervaiz denied the charge. In a statement here on Monday, Zardari termed the conspiracy undemocratic and distasteful. He then hit out at Elahi's Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), saying its role in the past had always been dubious and it was known for use of negative tactics to cling to power. He added that people of Pakistan had given a clear verdict against this kind of governance in the 2008 elections, but some people had refused to learn from that.
He stressed that all political forces should discourage such behind-the-scene manoeuvrings and the journey towards a better and prosperous Pakistan should start with a broad national reconciliation. "Democracy means providing an opportunity to the people to choose who they want to see as their government. It's not about limiting their choices by putting unfair hurdles in the way of popular political leadership," he added.