By DPA
Islamabad : A mass election boycott threat by Pakistan’s political opposition collapsed Sunday after an alliance of 33 parties failed to reach consensus on skipping crucial upcoming polls in defiance of President Pervez Musharraf.
Following a five-hour meeting in Lahore, the All Parties Democratic Movement, led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, remained deadlocked and finally agreed to let each party decide for itself.
“Every political party that is part of this alliance will decide on its own whether to participate or boycott,” Raja Zafarul Haq, a senior leader of Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PLM-N), told a press conference. “Our party will also make an announcement very soon in this regard.”
The impasse likely means an end to opposition boycott threats meant to force Musharraf into concessions including lifting the state of emergency he imposed last month and appointing a new caretaker government and neutral election commission before the Jan 8 polls.
Sharif is likely to have his PML-N contest the election, an aide said Sunday, given the lack of unity on a boycott. Key opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and her Pakistan People’s Party are not part of Sharif’s alliance and have made it clear they intend to contest the elections despite claiming that “massive rigging” was already underway by Musharraf’s government.
A leading Muslim-based party, Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (JUI), which is a member of the alliance, has also decided to participate.
Ahsan Iqbal, a PML-N spokesman, said Sharif did not want to “leave the field open” for political parties that support Musharraf to easily win control of parliament.
“As JUI and the (Pakistan) People’s Party are contesting election, it will be difficult for the Pakistan Muslim League-N to abstain,” he said, adding that the polls would be “a referendum on Musharraf’s rule.”
Musharraf declared a state of emergency Nov 3, suspending the constitution, jailing political opponents, firing dozens of judges and gagging the media. He made the move amid fears that the country’s Supreme Court was going to nullify his October re-election victory.
Sharif and Bhutto had joined forces to demand that Musharraf meet certain conditions to avoid a boycott, but they were unable to agree on whether to demand that around 60 Supreme Court and high court judges that Musharraf sacked last month be immediately reinstated.
Musharraf needs the elections to go smoothly to prevent nuclear-armed Pakistan from sliding into another political crisis, which the Bush administration, his key backer, fears would affect his ability to fight Al Qaeda and Taliban militants who have regrouped along the border with Afghanistan.
Sharif’s nominating papers to run for parliament were rejected by election officials in Lahore because of a previous conviction for treason and corruption, putting his candidacy in doubt.
However, Iqbal said Sharif and his brother Shahbaz, whose nominating papers were also rejected, could join parliament after it convenes following the elections by having two lawmakers from their PML-N resign.