December 9, 2002	Monday	Shawwal 4,1423

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LAHORE, Dec 8: Syed Asad Murtaza Gilani, PPP MNA from NA-152 (Multan), on Sunday joined the P-5, supporting policies of the group “aimed at strengthening the democratic process.”

Murtaza Gilani is the nephew of former NA speaker and PPP vice-president Yousuf Raza Gilani. The latter is currently in NAB custody for misuse of power. Raza had, in fact, helped his nephew get the PPP ticket.

Murtaza announced his decision at a news conference at the residence of Defence Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal, who is also president of the P-5.

Senior vice-president and interior minister Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat and vice-president and petroleum minister Naurez Shakoor were also present.

With the joining of Asad Murtaza, the P-5 would be further strengthened, said Rao Sikandar.

Faisal Saleh Hayat said the P-5 would work to ensure that the elected assemblies completed their constitutional term and nobody could sabotage the democratic process. He said the group would soon have its organizations in other provinces.

Naurez Shakoor claimed that very soon some more people would join the group.

The interior minister said an overwhelming majority of the PPP supporters were in harmony with the P-5 thinking and they would join the group one by one.

He said the PPP had no policy on important issues and when its leaders said they would not make compromise on their principles, they meant nothing. The party, he alleged, had no policy and thus there was no question of principles.

He recalled that the PPP had been saying that it would follow ARD’s decisions on various issues. But, he pointed out that the ARD had no policy on the election of the prime minister and the NA speaker.

The interior minister said the PPP leaders had been holding talks with the PML-Q for the formation of government, but had failed. The P-5, he said, had succeeded in forming a coalition with the PML-Q.

Answering a question, Faisal said no party was in a position to form its government in Sindh. In his opinion a coalition would have to be set up in the province and the federal government would not prevent any party from trying to set up its government in the province.

He said the defection laws would not hit the P-5 leaders.

To a question, he said Ms Bhutto herself was not willing to come back to the country. In case she did, he said, she would have to face legal process.

He said the release on parole of Asif Zardari manifested the ‘generosity’ of the present government.