PPP decides to install its government in Punjab

PPP decides to install its government in Punjab

Saturday, 28 Feb, 2009 | 02:10 AM PST |

The CEC meeting also condemned the burning of Benazir Bhutto's pictures and the ransacking of the monument of the slain leader at Liaquat Bagh Rawalpindi. - APP photo.

ISLAMABAD: The PPP decided on Friday to install its own chief minister in Punjab and gave full authority to President Asif Ali Zardari, who is co-chairman of the party, to nominate a party MPA for the post.

A resolution to that effect was unanimously adopted at a meeting of the party presided over jointly by President Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, president’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar told Dawn.

The meeting was attended by parliamentarians from Punjab and federal ministers.

Analysts believe that PPP’s decision to form its own government in Punjab would pave way for horse trading and both the PPP and PML-N would try to get the support of the PML-Q and win over independent MPAs.

Zardari has been holding consultations with leaders of his party to formulate a plan to overcome the political crisis and form a PPP-led government in Punjab.

‘No single party in Punjab has the required number of 186 MPAs in the assembly and, therefore, the two main parties – the PPP and PML-N – have to make alliance with the PML-Q to form the new government,’ Babar said.

He said the meeting reposed complete confidence in the leadership of the co-chairman and condemned the burning and tearing down of portraits of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and warned that the party would not tolerate any such acts.

It also condemned the ‘harsh language’ used by PML-N leaders against Zardari and warned them against turning political differences into personal animosity and vendetta.

‘Those throwing stones at the PPP leadership should remember that they themselves are sitting in glass houses,’ the spokesman said.

President Zardari said the PPP was a democratic party whose workers were dedicated political activists and they would meet the current political situation in a democratic manner.

‘The party has embarked on the course of reconciliation with sincere intentions and does not want confrontation with any political party,’ Babar quoted the president as saying.

The spokesman welcomed the statement of MQM chief Altaf Hussain who criticised the remarks of Nawaz Sharif against the president.

Babar denied media reports that President Zardari had asked Prime Minister Gilani to resign. ‘Such reports are baseless,’ he said.