We won't allow 'RO elections' this time, says Zardari

PESHAWAR: Former president and Pakistan People's Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari Wednesday said that this time his party will not allow RO elections in the country and will only take a sigh after having received election results.

Speaking to newsmen in Peshawar, Zardari said the last general elections in the country were that of returning officers, noting that his party did not campaign for the polls in 2013.

"We will launch a full-fledged election campaign this time. Bilawal and I will campaign in Balochistan, South Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while my sister and Aseefa will campaign in Sindh," he said.

Promising to not let anyone rig the elections, the former president said that his party fellows will not leave without having received electoral results.

The PPP co-chairman spoke about a range of political affairs at Wednesday's presser, during his visit to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He clearly expressed his mistrust in the National Accountability Bureau saying it isn't a transparent institution, recounting that the Supreme Court labelled Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as 'The Godfather'.

Zardari said his visit to Peshawar was part of political activities, where workers showered him with love.

He said that he found no signs of 'Naya Pakistan' anywhere in the province. "I met government officials here and no one said that he was happy with the current state of affairs."

"I also met parents of APS martyrs and it made me break into tears," the ex-president said, adding that investigations into the gruesome incident should again be held.

Questioned about Pak Sarzameen Party, he said that he didn't consider it a political party.

Commenting on Sunday's unrest during the PSP rally in Karachi, Zardari said if they wanted to hold a rally then they should have gone to some ground or open area for this purpose.

"Choking the country by blocking Shahrah-e-Faisal was wrong," he contended.