President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday met former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani at his Multan residence and assured him of removing all reservations of the Gilani family in a one-on-one meeting.
President Asif Ali Zardari arrived in Multan on Friday afternoon, where Gilani‚ Federal Minister for Textile and PPP President for South Punjab Makhdoom Shahabuddin‚ Ali Musa Gilani, Abdul Qadir Gilani and other parliamentarians received him at the airport. During their meeting, the two discussed FIA notices issued to the Gilani family. The FIA has summoned Gilani and his son MNA Abdul Qadir Gilani on November 16. President Zardari said that the Pakistan People’s Party government was planning a strategy to challenge Gilani’s disqualification and would soon apprise the party and the people regarding it.
Zardari and Gilani also discussed probable candidates for the PPP in southern Punjab.
Sources said Zardari was of the view that the PPP did not have the required majority to carve out a Seraiki province. However, Gilani assured the president that if a bill was presented in parliament for the formation of a Seriaki province, several members of the PML-N would also vote for it. Gilani added he was punished for supporting a Seraiki province and that he would even meet people at union council level for the establishment of the province.
Also, President Zardari reiterated the commitment of the government to continue working for socio-economic welfare of the people of South Punjab and to plead their case for creation of a separate province per their aspirations. He said the government was committed to bring less developed areas at par with other parts of the country, adding that the government would continue making every effort for the socio-economic and political development of the people of South Punjab.
He said the government believed in respecting the legitimate aspirations of the people of South Punjab and efforts would continue to meet the commitments made by the government with the people of the Seraiki belt. Zardari said the developmental programmes undertaken by the present government in South Punjab would result in accelerating greater economic prosperity and job creation for the youth of the area. He called upon the parliamentarians and political leaders of the area to reach out to the people to highlight their issues and also to sensitise them for greater participation in the political process. The president left for Islamabad later.
Zardari goes to Multan to woo Gilanis
