The friction between former coalition partners the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) seemed to increase on Tuesday after a senior provincial leader of the former accused the latter of pre-poll rigging even as it denied a rift between its top leadership.
Addressing a news conference in Lahore on Tuesday, PPP Central Punjab General Secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza demanded that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) take notice of how certain government officials had been appointed in the provincial education department allegedly at the behest of their rival PML-N.
With PPP Central Punjab acting president Rana Farooq Saeed Khan flanking him, Murtaza accused the PML-N of devising an elaborate plan for pre-poll rigging.
PPP urged the Election Commission of Pakistan to take notice of the matter and to transfer officials in Punjab the way it does in Sindh.
Murtaza also took a swipe at the PML-N without naming the party. In response to a question, he said that when the PPP talks about holding elections within the constitutionally binding 90-day period, a certain political party says holding polls in 90 days is not possible.
"PPP asks (former federal finance minister)) Ishaq Dar why he was unable to control the [price of the] US dollar," he asked.
Earlier, he categorically refuted rumours of a rift brewing between PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari.
Murtaza stated that the PPP will not accept false propaganda against its leaders on social or national media.
He condemned the character assassination of PPP leaders Shazia Marri and Mumtaz Chang.
"If PPP leaders are guilty, then action should be taken against them as per the law, but if they are not, then the institutions should stop the propaganda against them," Murtaza argued.
He posed a rhetorical question: if billions of rupees, allegedly stashed in the homes of PPP leaders, are being recovered by state authorities, why does Pakistan's mountain of debt keep rising?
In response to another question, Murtaza said PPP has not received any relief from the courts. He added that the party's leadership was exonerated in all cases.
Bilawal's campaigning
Providing details about the electoral campaigning by PPP Chairman Bilawal, Murtaza said that the electoral campaign, which commenced from Karachi, will continue into Punjab. Bilawal is expected to enter southern Punjab later on Tuesday.
Murtaza said that Bilawal is expected to reach the south Punjab city of Multan on Tuesday. Later in the week, he will preside over PPP Punjab's Central Executive Committee meeting.
The press conference was attended by PPP Punjab leaders including Sania Kamran, Asif Nagra, Ayesha Ghori, Mian Ayub and Rana Ashar.