PMLN, PPP to form panels to thrash out issues in Punjab

LAHORE: In the meeting of coordination committee held at the Governor House on Sunday, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) protested strongly before Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) leadership for not honouring the commitments made to it before the formation of government.

The meeting that was jointly chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and former PM, senior PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, however, agreed to set up committees from both sides for the redress of complaints.

The meeting was attended General Secretary PPP Punjab Syed Hassan Murtaza, Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan, Azam Nazir Tarar, whereas Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider, PPP Punjab Parliamentary leader Ali Haider Gilani, Nadim Afzal Chan, Mariyum Aurangzaib joined the meeting through video link. PPP workers Syed Ahsan Rizvi and Zeeshan Shami were also present during the meeting. This was the fifth sitting of the committee.

The PPP leaders, including Nadim Afzal Chan and Syed Hassan Murtaza, protested strongly against the arrest of PPP workers in their respective constituencies. According to sources, the PPP stalwarts also stated that the promises made to the PPPM were not honoured.

Sources stated that Ali Haider Gilani, while speaking from London, stated that meeting of PPP MPAs with the Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif had been postponed twice. Similalry, the PPP camp also expressed reservations over the way its MPAs were being ignored in the allotment of funds and lodged complaint that PMLN was even granting funds to its ticket holders who had lost the general elections.

Sources stated Ishaq Dar and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on the occasion called for the redress of grievances amicably. The meeting decided to set up committees, one from PPP and other from PMLN to address the prevailing issues.

PPP General Secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza, while talking to media after the meeting stated that party had not decided to join the government. He stated it was a wrong perception that PPP wanted to give a tough time to the government, rather he said it wanted to move along with the government. The purpose of meeting, he said, was to devise strategy for the solution to the prevailing issues, law and order, inflation etc. He said in three provinces, the law and order situation was deteriorating. He added the sub-committee formed today was meant to address the core issues.

He said, “We favour long-term relief instead of short-term,” he said, apparently referring to the Punjab government’s power subsidy worth Rs45 billion.

Meanwhile, Punjab Minister for Information Azma Bukhari told reacted to Hassan Murtaza’s press conference, saying, “On one hand, you are talking with the Punjab government and, on the other hand, you are coming out and speaking against the relief given to the people of Punjab. You should stand with the relief people of Punjab are getting.”

Azma Bukhari maintained that Maryam Nawaz was also investing Rs400 billion on roads in Punjab, reducing electricity bills and giving loans up to Rs1.5 million for building houses, medicine was also being provided and hospitals were also being built.

The Punjab information minister questioned it was beyond understanding why a loser does not digest development in Punjab. She said, “You are tarnishing your reputation by speaking against public relief in front of the media.”