LAHORE - The PPP has put its weight behind the PTI over the issue of verification of thumb impression of voters in the four constituencies of Lahore as demanded by the latter.
Senior PPP leader Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo on Sunday came up with a vociferous statement on the issue urging the Election Commission of Pakistan to pay heed to PTI demands regarding early disposal of election petitions and the verification of thumb impressions in the four constituencies.
“I fail to understand as to why the Election Commission of Pakistan is delaying the verification of thumb impressions of the voters in the four constituencies of Lahore as identified by the PTI Chief Imran Khan”, he observed in a statement.
Wattoo also stressed upon the ECP, judiciary and other relevant forums to pro-actively pursue the disposal of election complaints pending before the Election Tribunals almost more than a year.
“The Election Tribunal is required to dispose off such complaints within three months of the elections according to the law”, he maintained, also calling upon the ECP to address the complaints of Mrs Bushra Aitzaz and Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed, who contested the National Assembly Elections held last year.
“They have presented irrefutable proofs of the election irregularities in the respective constituencies”, he observed.
The PPP leader argued that fair, impartial and transparent elections held the key for the realisation of the Constitutional objectives and ,therefore, it was of profound importance that the Election Commission of Pakistan, civil society, judiciary and the Parliament should work out a mechanism based on collective wisdom for holding transparent elections in absolute terms.
He pointed out that the manipulated and engineered elections cut the very basis of democracy and undermined the aspirations of the people in a brazen way that could not be condoned on any pretext.
While underscoring the importance of the continuity of the democratic process in the country, he said that the next transfer of power should also take place in accordance with the Constitution and best democratic practices as was implemented by the PPP last year.
He said that the democratic system must not be derailed in the country because it was the only plausible hope to overcome the multiple challenges the country was embroiled in presently.
He maintained that it was equally important that the democratic dispensation ensure good governance and provide relief to all and sundry.
The adequate delivery of services to the people in the fields of education, health, transportation, administration of speedy and inexpensive justice and protection to their life and property would enhance their confidence in democracy in tandem with their aspirations, he said.
He cautioned that if democracy failed to deliver in these accounts then the people would get disappointed that would not auger well for the country and its political system.