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India-Pakistan
APDM boycott decision not surprising: Sethi
2007-11-30
The All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM)Â’s decision to boycott the general elections is not surprising, as all component parties of the alliance had already been saying that they could boycott the elections, Daily Times Editor Najam Sethi told Dawn News on Thursday.

He said the APDM might have to reconsider it’s decision if the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Jamaat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) decided to contest the election. “It is interesting that they (the APDM) have not withdrawn their nomination papers, which means that they may still decide to participate in the election,” he said.

He said the PPP and the JUI-F were unlikely to boycott the polls as the former had chances of forming a government in Sindh and the center, whereas the latter in the NWFP and Balochistan. The parties like the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf and Jamaat-e-Islami wanted to boycott the vote, as they were not likely to win too many seats, he added.
He said not a boycott by the APDM, but a boycott by all political parties – especially by the PPP – was essential to derail the election process, adding that the PPP would go for a boycott only if it smelled massive rigging in the election, in which case it might join hands with the APDM in its decision to boycott the polls, he said.

He said there were little chances for the PPP to boycott the polls as most of its demands including President Pervez Musharraf’s doffing of uniform, revocation of the Provisional Constitution Order and lifting of the emergency had already been met. He said there were only two demands by the PPP, which had yet not been satisfied – suspension of the local bodies and the re-constitution of the Election Commission. And if the president suspends the local bodies by December 16, there will be nothing left for the PPP to boycott the polls for. So, the PPP would probably participate in the election, he said.

He said the PPP and the JUI-F were unlikely to boycott the polls as the former had chances of forming a government in Sindh and the center, whereas the latter in the NWFP and Balochistan. The parties like the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf and Jamaat-e-Islami wanted to boycott the vote, as they were not likely to win too many seats, he added.

Sethi said that former premier Nawaz Sharif was in two boats now. He had returned to the country to take part in the elections but knew that he would not be able to get majority seats or to work with Musharraf, and so a boycott was a good option for him if only Benazir and Maulana Fazl could be persuaded to come along.
Posted by:Fred

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