Co-Chairman of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Asif Ali Zardari said Tuesday contacts were under way with all parties, primarily with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), on the formation of a coalition government.

 

 

Asif Ali Zardari, widower of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, casts his ballot inside a polling station in Nawabshah, 320 km (200 miles) from Karachi, Feb. 18, 2008.

 

Addressing a news conference at the Zardari House in Islamabad, Zardari said PPP would join hands with democratic forces. He said dialogue with all parties would be in the interest of strengthening democracy in the country.

 

Zardari said the party after forming a government would immediately seek UN investigation into the Dec. 27 assassination of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.

 

Paying homage to his slain wife and party chairperson, Zardari said she gave her life for the cause of democracy and "we believe democracy is the best revenge."

 

The official Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) quoted Zardari as saying that people rejected Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid because of failed policies of its patron and now many in that party were realizing that their defeat was due to that factor.

 

Zardari alleged there had been selective rigging in Monday's parliamentary polls.

 

He said 27 workers of PPP were "martyred" and an equal number were kidnapped while 300 were injured by rivals.

 

Zardari said the question of restoration of pre-emergency judiciary should be left to the incoming parliament.

 

Zardari said PPP stood for combating terrorism but at the same time it also believed in the method dialogue to achieve the objective.

 

Zardari confirmed phone conversation with the leader of PML-N Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday and said he would meet him on Wednesday.

 

To a question about working with President Pervez Musharraf, Zardari said it would be decided in the parliament.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2008)