ISLAMABAD – President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday refused a proposal by a party MPA to allow the party leadership to sit on the opposition benches and try to topple the government of PML-N in Punjab with the help of the PML-Q legislators, saying the PPP would not weaken the PML-N government.
“Ruling Punjab is a right of the PML-N and it was me who had asked Nawaz Sharif soon after the 2008 elections to use his right to form a government in Punjab. Now we should not weaken the PML-N government and rather all efforts should be made to continue the policy of reconciliation,” a PPP source quoted the president as saying in a meeting held with the party’s MPAs from Punjab.
The source said the president pacified the “discontented” party MPAs and said that he knew that Punjab ministers were “powerless” and development funds were not being provided to the party’s MPAs by Punjab chief minister, “yet this should not affect the party’s reconciliation process in the province”.
“I can understand the problems being faced by PPP MPAs. But you must know that mere development funds and power cannot help any party win elections, rather close and constant contact with your voters is the key to success in the political process. If development funds were the only way to win polls, then you should remember that Pervaiz Elahi gave huge funds to his party’s candidates, but they lost the 2008 elections,” the source quoted the president as telling his MPAs.
