No difference in the statements of Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto: Faisal Karim Kundi

Arslan Ali Arsal

Islamabad: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Faisal Karim Kundi said this week that there was no difference between the statements of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari – the party chairman – and Asif Ali Zardari – former president – a day after they expressed totally opposite points of views on the issue of elections.

In a statement, Kundi said it was mentioned in the constitution that delimitation would be carried out if the number of constituencies was to be increased.

The process wasn’t a much time-consuming, he added and questioned why the ECP [Election Commission of Pakistan] wanted to drag the same till November.

Kundi expressed his suspicion that the general elections schedule might not be held even in December. “You are not giving the election date and are silent. Then what does it mean?” he questioned.

The PPP leader that the entire party was united and consultations would be held on elections issue during the CEC meeting scheduled to be held in Lahore next week.

On Saturday, Bilawal distanced himself from Zardari’s statement that the ECP was bound to conduct fresh delimitation of constituencies.

Taking a differing stance on general elections, Bilawal told reporters in Badin, where he officially kicked off his party’s mass contact campaign, that holding elections within 90 days was a constitutional obligation.

Earlier in the day, Zardari – who is also the PPP co-chairman – had said it was obligatory for the ECP to carry out delimitation after the census.

Read more: ECP’s stance endorsed? Zardari says Election Commission bound to conduct delimitation

At the same time, Zardari said that the country’s top electoral body must hold polls according to the constitution – in a marked contrast to Bilawal’s earlier statement in which had demanded announcement of the general election date.