Zardari promises consensus caretaker govt, polls date
13 February, 2013
LAHORE: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday said that a consensus would be reached over the caretaker government and the date for elections. President Zardari told the BBC that the caretaker government would have non-controversial people so that no one could question their sincerity. He said the polls would be held on time and the interim government would have an absolute authority under the Constitution to hold free and transparent elections. Commenting on his son's political career, President Zardari said Bilawal was still young and it would take some time before he assumed all responsibilities to run the Pakistan People's Party. He said being a frontline state in the war against terrorism, Pakistan has faced economic complications besides loss of human lives. The president deplored that the war in Afghanistan for the past 40 years has created a number of social and economic problems for Pakistan.Meanwhile, talking to party delegations on Tuesday, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said his party would continue its struggle for strengthening democracy in the country. He said there was no ambiguity about the time to hold the next general election. —Agencies Our correspondent adds: A delegation headed by PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Tuesday night called on President Zardari at the Bilawal House, Lahore. The delegation included among others Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Ch Moonis Elahi, Sardar Maqsood Khan Laghari and others. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, MNA Faryal Talpur, PPP Punjab (Centre) President Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira, Law Minister Farooq H Naek, Nazar Muhammad Gondal were also present during the meeting. The current situation was discussed during the meeting. Meanwhile, at a press conference on Tuesday, Manzoor Wattoo said the party would field Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar from the Gujrat seat which he had won in 2008 elections. He said Ahmed Mukhtar had the capability to win the elections. He said there had been negotiations with the PML-Q over the same election symbol as it would be helpful for the Q-candidates to get the PPP votes. End.
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