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Pervaiz eyes CM office if Shahbaz falls
Thursday, February 05, 2009
By Babar Dogar
LAHORE: Former chief minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi, in an exclusive interview with The News on Tuesday, did not rule out the possibility of becoming the Punjab CM with the support of the PPP if the Shahbaz Sharif government falls.
He claimed that he could serve the Punjab better than anybody else as he had served the province as chief minister for five consecutive years. To a query on PML-Qís future strategy in case Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is disqualified by courts, he said they were weighing multiple options, including that of his becoming the chief minister, assuming responsibility as a senior minister in the federal government or merely providing support to the PPP governments both at the Centre and the Punjab without having any share in the cake. However, he said they would make a final decision when the time comes. He said they would consider all aspects.
He was of the view that it depended on the PPP as to with which party it would form alliance after the fall of the Shahbaz government. He admitted that he had contacts with the PPP top leadership in this regard. He dispelled the impression that he had held any meeting with President Zardari quite recently. Nevertheless, he stated that much depended upon the courts judgment on the Sharif brothers disqualification case.
Commenting on the disqualification cases of Sharifs, he said the cases of PML-Q leaders Mian Munir and Akhtar Rasool were quite identical to that of Nawaz Sharif. He said Mian Munir and Akhtar Rasool were awarded three-month imprisonment by the courts. He said the courts had later reduced their imprisonment to 15 days but they could not get their conviction reversed by the courts despite the fact that they had their own president and the prime minister. He said Nawaz Sharif was sentenced by the courts and it was not possible for anyone to reverse his conviction. He said the disqualification cases of the Sharif brothers would have its impact both on the federal and provincial governments.
Commenting on the lawyers long march, he alleged that the PML-N and the PPP were coalition partners in the Punjab but the PML-N government was making efforts to destabilise the PPP government at the Centre through the lawyers movement. He was of the view that the PML-N support to the long march would definitely affect its relationship with the PPP.
Commenting on the possibility of an alliance between the PML-N and the PML-Q, he said they had initially held meetings with Ch Nisar to discuss the modalities of such an alliance but there was no headway on it.
Talking about the major hindrance in the way of the PML-Q-PML-N alliance, Pervaiz held Nawaz responsible for creating hurdles in the unification of the PML. He said that Sharifs had not learnt a lesson from the past and were still showing political immaturity.
To another query about the difference in Ch Shujaat Hussain and his stance on alliance with Sharifs, he said that there was no such difference of opinion. He said there was no difference of opinion within the PML-Q on the issue of forming an alliance with the PPP and they would take a final decision after consulting everyone in the party.
Talking about the one-year performance of the PML-N government in the Punjab, he said it was a complete failure. He said the provincial had nothing significant to show. He claimed the provincial government could not undertake a single project or development scheme during the last one year, which reflected its failure.
To a query whether the interference of the Punjab governor in the administrative affairs of the Punjab government was justified, he said the governor had done nothing wrong. He was of the view that the governor, being head of the province, could seek a report from the chief minister. He claimed that it was the responsibility of the CM to sit with the Punjab governor and settle the issues amicably. He said when he was the chief minister, the then governor, Khalid Maqbool, used to interfere in certain issues but he managed the things quite amicably. He blamed Shahbaz for shifting the responsibility of his inefficiency onto Governor Salman Taseer. He was of the view that Shahbaz would start blaming the federal government for interfering in the administrative affairs of his government even if the PPP appointed a governor of his choice. He claimed that even if Shahbaz would have the federal government of his choice, he would allege US President Obama for not allowing him to run the provincial affairs smoothly.
Talking about the meeting of the PML-Q Nazims with the Punjab governor, Pervaiz said the Nazims met the governor after getting approval from the party. He said the Punjab government wanted the Nazims to approve the development schemes of their MPAs and MNAs from the development funds being provided to the district governments.
He alleged that the provincial government was blackmailing the Nazims through an audit report. The governor is supporting the Nazims because their stand is right. Commenting on the fate of the PML-Qs forward bloc, he said they had limited options because they would be disqualified immediately after casting votes against the decision of their parliamentary party. He was of the view that he would welcome all of them after they would return to the party fold.
When asked about the stance of the PML-Q on 17th and 18th amendments, Pervaiz stated that their legal wing comprising SM Zafar, Anwar Bhindar and Khalid Ranjha was preparing a proposed draft which would be finalised within a couple of days. He said they wanted balance of power between the offices of the president and the prime minister. The prime minister should have the power of making appointment of governors. On the issue of Article 58(2b), he said they wanted this power to remain with the president.
TheNews.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
By Babar Dogar
LAHORE: Former chief minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi, in an exclusive interview with The News on Tuesday, did not rule out the possibility of becoming the Punjab CM with the support of the PPP if the Shahbaz Sharif government falls.
He claimed that he could serve the Punjab better than anybody else as he had served the province as chief minister for five consecutive years. To a query on PML-Qís future strategy in case Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is disqualified by courts, he said they were weighing multiple options, including that of his becoming the chief minister, assuming responsibility as a senior minister in the federal government or merely providing support to the PPP governments both at the Centre and the Punjab without having any share in the cake. However, he said they would make a final decision when the time comes. He said they would consider all aspects.
He was of the view that it depended on the PPP as to with which party it would form alliance after the fall of the Shahbaz government. He admitted that he had contacts with the PPP top leadership in this regard. He dispelled the impression that he had held any meeting with President Zardari quite recently. Nevertheless, he stated that much depended upon the courts judgment on the Sharif brothers disqualification case.
Commenting on the disqualification cases of Sharifs, he said the cases of PML-Q leaders Mian Munir and Akhtar Rasool were quite identical to that of Nawaz Sharif. He said Mian Munir and Akhtar Rasool were awarded three-month imprisonment by the courts. He said the courts had later reduced their imprisonment to 15 days but they could not get their conviction reversed by the courts despite the fact that they had their own president and the prime minister. He said Nawaz Sharif was sentenced by the courts and it was not possible for anyone to reverse his conviction. He said the disqualification cases of the Sharif brothers would have its impact both on the federal and provincial governments.
Commenting on the lawyers long march, he alleged that the PML-N and the PPP were coalition partners in the Punjab but the PML-N government was making efforts to destabilise the PPP government at the Centre through the lawyers movement. He was of the view that the PML-N support to the long march would definitely affect its relationship with the PPP.
Commenting on the possibility of an alliance between the PML-N and the PML-Q, he said they had initially held meetings with Ch Nisar to discuss the modalities of such an alliance but there was no headway on it.
Talking about the major hindrance in the way of the PML-Q-PML-N alliance, Pervaiz held Nawaz responsible for creating hurdles in the unification of the PML. He said that Sharifs had not learnt a lesson from the past and were still showing political immaturity.
To another query about the difference in Ch Shujaat Hussain and his stance on alliance with Sharifs, he said that there was no such difference of opinion. He said there was no difference of opinion within the PML-Q on the issue of forming an alliance with the PPP and they would take a final decision after consulting everyone in the party.
Talking about the one-year performance of the PML-N government in the Punjab, he said it was a complete failure. He said the provincial had nothing significant to show. He claimed the provincial government could not undertake a single project or development scheme during the last one year, which reflected its failure.
To a query whether the interference of the Punjab governor in the administrative affairs of the Punjab government was justified, he said the governor had done nothing wrong. He was of the view that the governor, being head of the province, could seek a report from the chief minister. He claimed that it was the responsibility of the CM to sit with the Punjab governor and settle the issues amicably. He said when he was the chief minister, the then governor, Khalid Maqbool, used to interfere in certain issues but he managed the things quite amicably. He blamed Shahbaz for shifting the responsibility of his inefficiency onto Governor Salman Taseer. He was of the view that Shahbaz would start blaming the federal government for interfering in the administrative affairs of his government even if the PPP appointed a governor of his choice. He claimed that even if Shahbaz would have the federal government of his choice, he would allege US President Obama for not allowing him to run the provincial affairs smoothly.
Talking about the meeting of the PML-Q Nazims with the Punjab governor, Pervaiz said the Nazims met the governor after getting approval from the party. He said the Punjab government wanted the Nazims to approve the development schemes of their MPAs and MNAs from the development funds being provided to the district governments.
He alleged that the provincial government was blackmailing the Nazims through an audit report. The governor is supporting the Nazims because their stand is right. Commenting on the fate of the PML-Qs forward bloc, he said they had limited options because they would be disqualified immediately after casting votes against the decision of their parliamentary party. He was of the view that he would welcome all of them after they would return to the party fold.
When asked about the stance of the PML-Q on 17th and 18th amendments, Pervaiz stated that their legal wing comprising SM Zafar, Anwar Bhindar and Khalid Ranjha was preparing a proposed draft which would be finalised within a couple of days. He said they wanted balance of power between the offices of the president and the prime minister. The prime minister should have the power of making appointment of governors. On the issue of Article 58(2b), he said they wanted this power to remain with the president.
TheNews.
