As the memo issue continues to dog the Presidency and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government, with political uncertainty also increasing with every passing day after President Asif Ali Zardari’s sudden departure to Dubai for health reasons, two political allies of the PPP — the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and a group of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) parliamentarians — on Friday assured their full support to the PPP leadership through thick and thin.
The Chaudhrys of the PML-Q, in a meeting with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, assured that their party would not abandon the PPP leadership in time of crisis as the PML-Q’s alliance with the Bhutto’s family was on a long-term basis.
They also discussed the current political situation in the country. “The meeting of the PML-Q leadership with the prime minister and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was primarily meant to express solidarity with the PPP leadership amid rumours of President Asif Ali Zardari’s stepping down from presidency,” said a senior leader of the PML-Q.
According to a press release issued by PM’s House, the Chaudhrys assured the prime minister of their resolve to continue working together to strengthen the democratic system in the country.
“Chaudhry Shujat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi enquired after the health of President Zardari from Bilawal, who was also present in the meeting,” the press release added.
During the meeting, President Zardari telephoned the prime minister, who informed him about the presence of both PML-Q leaders. The president expressed his gratitude to the Shujaat and Elahi for enquiring about his health and for their prayers, the press release said. A source in the PML-Q said the Chaudhrys assured the PPP leadership that the PML-Q would stand by the government and the president on the memo issue. The PPP leaders thanked Shujaat for his recent statements defending the president and the government over the memogate scandal.
Separately, the parliamentarians from FATA also assured the prime minister that all tribal areas’ MPs would extend their full support to the government come what may.
On the request of the FATA MNAs, the prime minister directed the Finance Ministry and the Planning Commission to ensure the release of Rs 15 billion during the current financial year to complete the development projects in FATA to eradicate poverty and illiteracy. It was, however, pointed out by the Planning Commission and the Finance Ministry that the release of funds for FATA was on time as compared to other parts of the country. The lawmakers had called on the prime minister at PM’s house to express their best wishes for President Zardari and prayed for his swift recovery. Gilani thanked the MNAs and said the president had now been moved out of intensive care and was making satisfactory progress so far as his health was concerned.