ISLAMABAD  -  Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) yesterday criti­cized presidential candidate Mahmood Mahmood Khan Achakzai for demanding postponement of elections for the new President. PPP leader Nisar Khuhro said the demand to postpone presidential elections was an act to undermine democracy and derail the democratic process. He said the Paki­stan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and Sunni Ittehad Coun­cil were trying to derail democracy by pushing the country towards crisis, but all conspiracies to de­rail the democratic process in the country will fail.

Khuhro said that without the reserved seats of the Sunni Ittehad Council, if Shehbaz Sharif can become Prime Minister with the support of allied parties, Asif Ali Zardari can also become the President of the country. “Even if the reserved seats are given to the Sunni Ittehad Council, Mahmood Khan Achakzai could still not be elected President of the country. Mahmood Khan Achakzai does not have a majority of votes in the Senate and all assemblies. The PTI and Sunni Ittehad Council are trying to make the presi­dential elections controversial sending the defeat of Mahmood Khan Achakzai,” he added. Commenting on Achakzai’s demand, Khuro said after the schedule of the presidential elections was issued, there was no justification for the elections to be postponed.