KARACHI – President Asif Ali Zardari has said that the Pakistan People’s Party will play the role of a responsible opposition in Punjab and will not do anything to destabilise the provincial government or weaken democracy in any way.
Presidential spokesman Farhatullah Babar said that President Zardari said this during a telephonic address from the Bilawal House to PPP Punjab MPs who had gathered at the Governor’s House Lahore on Wednesday. He said the president also advised the MPs to perform their duties as responsible and critical opposition members and not allow themselves to be provoked into doing anything against the spirit of democracy.
The president said that the party had a long history of fighting dictatorships and democracy had been restored in the country after huge sacrifices, adding that the hard-earned democracy must not be allowed to be weakened.
The president said he was aware of the difficulties faced by the PPP Punjab in respect of their development funds and projects after their exit from the provincial government and he would set up a committee of party MPs in consultation with the prime minister to look into their problems and suggest measures for the continuation of their development projects with the help of the federal government if need be.
The president also recounted the achievements of the PPP government during the last three years. He said that despite the huge set back to economy due to the fight against militancy and unprecedented floods last year, tax collection and foreign remittances had greatly increased.
