Zardari ‘unconvinced’ on early elections

ISLAMABAD   -   Pakistan People’s Par­ty supremo Asif Ali Zardari is uncon­vinced for early elections despite efforts by the politi­cal friends and opponents.

The PPP remains the last party to opt for snap polls due to apparent reasons. The party eyes some seats in Punjab but is hardly sure of any meaningful success in the presence of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf – both of whom had a proven record in the last few elections.

According to close aides, Zardari is realistic enough not to expect a land­

 slide victory in Punjab but believes the PPP must have its share to be able to form a federal government.

With a reasonable success ratio, the PPP can also play a role in formation of the Pun­jab provincial government after the general elections, but that is not the main tar­get for the PPP leadership.

The PPP will be willing to give away the Punjab gov­ernment to the PML-N – cur­rently an ally and previous­ly an arch rival. Both the PPP and the PML-N will be hop­ing to keep the PTI out as the first goal, and then take it from there to share pow­er in centre and Punjab if the plans succeed.

Achieving the target in Punjab will need some time for the PPP and Zardari is optimistic that polls on time – late next year – will be enough to ensure the need­ed success.

“As party (PPP) Co-chair­man, he wants the PPP to win all seats but as a sea­soned politician, he wants to do better and win some seats to support the party from Punjab, Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa and Balochistan. In Sindh, the PPP is set to perform well,” said a close aide of the PPP supremo.

This, he remarked, was the main reason Zardari was reluctant for the ear­ly general elections in the country, although PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif is rar­ing to go for the option.

Top PPP leaders confided that Zardari had been con­tacted by several politicians to discuss early elections but so far the PPP Co-chair­man remains ‘unconvinced’.

Recently, Zardari said PTI chief Imran Khan was de­manding early elections and the PPP was not afraid of polls, but it wanted elec­toral reforms before hold­ing the polls. “In our game plan, elections would come after electoral reforms,” he contended.

PTI leader Fayyaz ul Has­san Chohan claimed in a recent tweet that Asif Ali Zardari, who is recovering from Covid in Dubai, was considering for early elec­tions.

Fayyaz ul Hassan main­tained that an “important personality” of Pakistan was also staying in Dubai. He added that Zardari was being convinced to agree on early elections in the country.

A little further in the past, Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammed Asif – from the PMLN said that the possibil­ity of holding general elec­tions prior to the appoint­ment of a new Army chief cannot be ruled out. The new Army chief’s appoint­ment is due in November this year.