There appears no convincing reason for electoral reforms, and the changes to the National Accountability Bureau NAB law even less so, to be a deciding factor where the timing of the polls is concerned.
The parties leading the coalition are primarily concerned with rolling back the Elections (Second Amendment) Act, 2021, which provides for electronic voting machines and e-voting for overseas Pakistanis.
But this is a task easily achieved in a situation where the government collectively enjoys a majority in both houses of parliament, so what is it waiting for?
Critics may argue that rolling back the amendments with only a rump opposition in the Lower House after the mass resignations of 123 PTI MNAs would detract from the legitimacy of the exercise.Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Zardari said:
“Electoral and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) reforms are included in our game plan.”
Referring to the huge economic challenges being faced by the country, the PPP co-chairman called for “out of the box” solutions to fix Pakistan’s economy. He maintained that the new government will take some time to control the situation.
Asif Zardari said that the nation will have to face problems until the IMF programme is finalised.
Electoral reforms will take three to four months, he said, adding that the government will not go for elections without them.
“We do not want any selected person to come into power again”, he said, adding that he has persuaded PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif over the electoral reforms ahead of the elections.
He said the government will take all the collation parties on board ahead of making decisions.
He lashed out for hurling allegations against the leaders of the ruling collation and dubbing them “Mir Jaffar and Mir Sadiq.”
Reacting to the diplomatic cable and the alleged conspiracy attached to it, Zardari said:
“They drafted the communique themselves. There could be a diplomatic cable but probably it will not be sent by any state and the PTI should show proof if they have any.” The PPP co-chairman also criticised the former regime’s economic policies and said the incumbent government will have to make its own policies to put the country on the track to progress and prosperity.
The parties leading the coalition are primarily concerned with rolling back the Elections (Second Amendment)
Act, 2021, which provides for electronic voting machines and e-voting for overseas Pakistanis.
