PTI wants coalition with PML-Q in polls: governor Punjab

LAHORE : Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar said on Sunday that the PTI also wanted to have coalition with the PML-Q in the local government polls as well as in the next general elections.

Talking to the media after inaugurating a handicraft shop here at Governor House, the governor said that Ch Shujaat Hussain and Ch Pervaiz Elahi had rightly said that the end of coalition would be equally harmful for the PTI and the Q-League.

The governor said the Chaudhry Brothers did not object his name in the government committee as he had old and good relations with them.

Prime Minister Imran Khan had constituted a committee headed by him (governor) to hold dialogue with the Q-League, he said and added, “We will soon make a formal contact with the PML-Q leadership and all their reservations will surely be removed.”

Allied parties hold difference of opinions which does not mean end of the government and lack of consensus does not mean infighting, he said.

"The PML-Q, MQM, Balochistan Awami Party and all other allies were with the government and none of them was talking of toppling the government, however, difference of opinions was beauty of politics and democracy," he maintained.

Ch Sarwar cited that Prime Minister Imran Khan had made him as governor, Sardar Usman Buzdar as chief minister and Ch Pervaiz Elahi as speaker and it was responsibility of all the three to sit together to sort out issues and discuss development and prosperity of the province in accordance with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

To a question, he said: "We have to set aside what happened in the past and now have to move ahead, and I am sure the matters between the Q-League and the government will be settled down.”.

My acquaintance with the Chaudhry Brothers is not since my doing politics in Pakistan or becoming governor but from the time, I had been doing politic in London, he said.

Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi are well aware of the situation and politics in Pakistan, therefore, the PML-Q and the government alliance has no any danger.

"Despite having reservations, he mentioned, the PML-Q had confirmed to continue to side with the government and all the allies were on the same page that none of them would become part of any move aimed at toppling the government rather they would play their role in strengthening of democracy and people’s prosperity.

To another question, he said no doubt, there were issues regarding price-hike and good governance, however, the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan was laying greater focus to do away with price-hike and ensure good governance during 2020.To another query, the governor said the PTI government had saved the country from bankruptcy, while reduced substantially the current account deficit of US $ 19 billion and with such deficits no country could make progress but the present government was taking historic and emergent measures to do away with price-hike.

The IMF, World Bank and all other institutions were acknowledging the better economic conditions in Pakistan, he cited.

Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar said that it was Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision to open up public buildings to the general public under which the Governor House was opened to people on Sundays only but now it would be opened on Saturdays as well, while handicraft shop had also been set up here for visitors.

Food outlets would also be opened at the Governors House soon so that families visiting here could fully enjoy their trip.