Forthcoming elections will be free and fair: President Zardari

GARHI KHUDA BAKHSH: President and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari Thursday said that arrangements have been made for holding free and fair elections, adding that an independent election commissioner was appointed in this regard.

Addressing the public gathering here on the fifth death anniversary of former premiere Benazir Bhutto, President Zardari said that to bring more transparency in the caretaker setup, they made laws which ensure agreement of prime minister and opposition leader for naming the caretaker Prime Minister.

He said that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has completed his studies but he has to pass through the process of political training. “This is the time for his training and he needs to learn about the country and its people”.

The PPP co-chairman said that soon after 2008 general elections, people were predicting that the government would be toppled anytime. He said that for the very first time the democratic government is completing its 5-year tenure.

Zardari said the party would not take revenge with anyone adding that history itself would do this.

Paying tribute to Nusrat Bhutto, the president said that the policy of reconciliation was not initiated by him but the ‘mother of democracy Nusrat Bhutto’ when Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was in jail.

He said that they are determined to save democracy and all the political parties are on the same page regarding continuity of democracy in the country.

“It takes decades to make a country stronger and we will continue to work for it,” President Zardari said.