Opposition advised to accept defeat

Leaders of United Muslim League have advised the opposition to gracefully accept their defeat and verdict of the people in local bodies election and appreciated the role of the Election Commission in the first phase of local bodies (LB) elections and rejected the opposition's allegations of pre-poll rigging, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) leaders Sikandar Hayat Bosan Federal Minister for Agriculture and Food, Syed Mujahid Ali Shah Ex-MNA, Shaikh Tahir Rashid Ex-MNA, Syed Mujahid Ali Shah, MPA, Hafiz Iqbal Khan Khakwani.
Former Punjab Minister said, "The people voted for President Pervez Musharraf's ideology of enlightened moderation in the first phase of LB polls and same will be repeated in the second phase and the next general elections in year 2007."
In their separate statements they said the elections were held on non-party basis but the political pundits played a pivotal role in making the elections a success. He said the first significance of the local government elections was that it was a positive development for the future of democratic process in the country as the people from all segments of society and political parties participated in the polls.
The second significance of these elections is that it is a vote of confidence for the local government system and lastly it is a vote for moderation and vote of confidence for the PML government, which will yield results in 2007 when general elections will be held in the country," they added.
PML-backed Khushhal Pakistan panel showed the best performance in the Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan in the first phase of the LB elections. Accusing the opposition of launching a propaganda campaign before the elections, the Minister for Food and Agriculture said it was an exercise of pre-poll propaganda, which was unleashed just to justify their defeat.
"The opposition's allegations against the acting chief election commissioner are only to gain political mileage and pressurise him," he added. They said it has become a tradition for losers to always to make allegations of rigging and demand new elections. "
This practice must be stopped forever and everyone must accept the verdict of the people with grace. Regarding the complaints of interference by the federal minister in the local government elections in Multan.
He said the party had already asked the Election Commission to investigate into the complaints across the board.