F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Tuesday said that his party will not bring a candidate for the prime minister’s post, nor will it join the federal cabinet.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has refused to hold talks with PPP, leaving PPP with the only option of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Bilawal said he was not the candidate od the premiership as his party does not have mandate to to form the federal government, however, Asif ALi Zadari will be candate for the presidency once again.
He said PTI was still taking undemocratic decisions. Bilawal said PPP will try to form government in Sindh and Balochistan and will cooperate in budget, legislation and other matters in the national assembly.
He said PPP will bring a candidate for President, Chairman Senate and Speaker National Assembly.
He said that PPP is not interested in increasing political tension in the country, but rather wants to take Pakistan out of the crisis.
He said that the time has come once again for PPP to raise the slogan of ‘Pakistan Khape’, meaning ‘Pakistan lives’.
He said they will try to form a stable government as people do not want more political instability and chaos.
He said he cannot present himself as Prime Minister and will vote for the Prime Minister’s candidate but will not be part of the government.
He said the PPP is forming a committee which will contact other political parties.
He said they will accept the election results in the wider national interest.
Bilawal said that his party does not have the mandate to form the federal government. He said that two other groups, Independents and Pakistan Muslim League-N, have a majority in this regard and that PPP will support them if they agree to work for the country’s stability and democracy.
Bilawal said that Pakistan is facing a political, economic and environmental crisis and that his party will cooperate with the other parties on issue-to-issue basis.
He said that PPP has decided to establish a committee for negotiations with other parties and that they want the issue of government formation to move forward. He also said that PPP will try to take the country out of this crisis and end the speculation.
He said that his party’s leaders have raised many complaints regarding rigging in Punjab and that the leaders of Punjab had concerns that their problems have not been solved in the last eighteen months.
He said that the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of PPP has received complaints regarding the level playing field, rigging and irregularities in the general election.
He said that despite these reservations, PPP will accept the results of the general election and will move forward by pointing out these shortcomings together with the political parties.
He said if they do not support any party, the country will have to go for elections again and that will lead to further political chaos.
He said no one got a clear mandate in the elections and no one can form a government alone.
