PPP leaders raise reservations over allowing Musharraf to contest elections

ISLAMABAD: Former president Pervez Musharraf has been provisionally allowed to contest elections after the Supreme Court allowed him to submit his nomination papers.

However, political opponents have raised apprehensions over allowing the former army chief to contest elections as he faces several cases within the country.

The Pakistan Peoples Peoples Party on Saturday also expressed its reservations over the decision to allow Musharraf to contest elections.

PPP Punjab President Qammar-uz-Zaman Kaira, while speaking to ARY Program ‘Airtraz Hai’ hosted by Adil Abbasi, said the Musharraf should not be allowed to contest elections as he was an absconder and was facing several cases.

He said that it was would be travesty if an absconder was allowed to contest elections. He said that another absconder was allowed to contest the Senate elections, referring to former finance minister Ishaq Dar.

When asked about the issuance of tickets by the PPP particularly, Kaira said the names have been finalised and will be revealed in a couple of days. He said the party will nominate candidates from across the province.

Musharraf won’t return back to Pakistan

On Friday, PPP senior leader Syed Khursheed Shah said that he does not see the possibility of former president returning to the country.

Another PPP leader former Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani said that the rule of law shall evade the nation a if Musharraf was allowed to contest the upcoming elections.

He had said the Musharraf was tried for treason in a special court, declared an absconder, and has misled the courts on the pretext of ill-health.

Therefore, he said it was a matter of grave concern that a proclaimed absconder has been allowed to file his nomination papers, and who hold abrogated or held the Constitution in abeyance are being given consideration.

Musharraf has been ordered to appear before the Supreme Court on June 13, and has been assured that he would not be arrested. Musharraf had challenged a two-year-old verdict by the Peshawar High Court which barred him from contesting elections.