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| 11 March 2004 | Thursday | 19 Muharram 1425 |
Shujaat, PM in talks to expand cabinet
ISLAMABAD, March 10: The president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain called on the prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali at PM house on Wednesday morning and discussed with him matters pertaining to expansion of the cabinet which has been delayed for a variety of reasons.
According to informed sources the two leaders agreed to finalise the list of probable ministers by mutual consultations and to induct new ministers at the appropriate time.
Mr Shujaat also apprised the premier about the developments that have taken place after the announcement of reunification of five factions of the PML, and the Imtiaz Sheikh faction of the Sindh Democratic Alliance.
He informed the premier about the technical and legal lacunas that were hindering the finalisation of the unification process. The premier gave his consent to the formula that was presented by the veteran politician senator S. M. Zafar for removing the legal bottlenecks in the way of unification of the party factions.
The PML chief also discussed the issue of Hudood ordinance with the premier and it was mutually decided that the said law should not be touched to avoid a possible confrontation with the religious element particularly the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA).
Earlier, the prime minister had also held out an assurance to MMA's acting president Qazi Hussain Ahmed who called on him on Tuesday to say that the Hudood ordinance will neither be repealed nor amended.
Meanwhile, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in a statement rebutted the allegations of the PPP leadership that resignation of Zafar Iqbal Warriach MNA from the party was the result of horse trading indulged in by the ruling alliance.
Mr Shujaat said, the PPP MNA had resigned in protest against the dictatorial attitude of the party's leadership and it had nothing to do with any outside factors.
He further stated that tendering resignation from the National Assembly seat had shown the principled and democratic politics of the MNA, which was a slap on the face of PPP leadership.
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