Zardari, Sharif give Pak vote warning
Thursday, 14 February 2008
LAHORE, Feb 13 (AFP): The widower of slain Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto met former premier Nawaz Sharif Tuesday and said they discussed their fears that next week's elections would be rigged.
The meeting between Asif Ali Zardari and Sharif further cemented opposition to President Pervez Musharraf ahead of the vote Monday, with opinion polls showing plummeting public support for the former army general.
"We have already expressed our reservations to the Chief Election Commissioner about rigging in the general elections," Zardari told reporters after calling on Sharif at his house in the eastern city of Lahore.
His comments came after Human Rights Watch warned that Pakistan's Election Commission had failed to investigate reports of campaign violations, threatening the validity of the parliamentary elections.
The New York-based group said in a statement that the commission had ignored reports of arrests and harassment of opposition party members, and failed to act independently from Musharraf's administration.
Zardari-who is leading Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) until the couple's son Bilawal is old enough to take the reins-said his party would decide whether to work with Musharraf if it won the election.
Sharif, who was ousted by Musharraf in 1999, ruled out any cooperation with the president.
The meeting between Asif Ali Zardari and Sharif further cemented opposition to President Pervez Musharraf ahead of the vote Monday, with opinion polls showing plummeting public support for the former army general.
"We have already expressed our reservations to the Chief Election Commissioner about rigging in the general elections," Zardari told reporters after calling on Sharif at his house in the eastern city of Lahore.
His comments came after Human Rights Watch warned that Pakistan's Election Commission had failed to investigate reports of campaign violations, threatening the validity of the parliamentary elections.
The New York-based group said in a statement that the commission had ignored reports of arrests and harassment of opposition party members, and failed to act independently from Musharraf's administration.
Zardari-who is leading Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) until the couple's son Bilawal is old enough to take the reins-said his party would decide whether to work with Musharraf if it won the election.
Sharif, who was ousted by Musharraf in 1999, ruled out any cooperation with the president.