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| 10 June 2004 | Thursday | 21 Rabi-us-Saani 1425 |
Jamali, Shujaat rule out in-house change
ISLAMABAD, June 9: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali and Pakistan Muslim League president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Wednesday reaffirmed their resolve to continue with the present political setup and rejected reports of any looming crisis
, including an in-house change.
Talking to reporters along with Chaudhry Shujaat, the prime minister said: "I had come to Mr Shujaat to congratulate him on taking a timely decision about Sindh province." The two leaders discussed reports of an imminent in-house change, the Sindh situation, cabinet expansion and the next year's budget, sources said.
During the meeting, Mr Shujaat also conveyed to the prime minister his reservations on a number of steps taken by him and the complaints emanating from president's house about the poor performance of the government under his stewardship, the sources maintained.
Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, and younger brother of Mr Shujaat, Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, MNA, also participated in the talks described as a 'private meeting'. Responding to a question whether he backed Mr Jamali in the present situation, Mr Shujaat said: "We are not on his back but we are with him (Mr Jamali)."
After holding a two-hour meeting with the party president at the latter's residence, Mr Jamali said: "It is unfortunate that the country's political culture has been fashioned in such a way that speculation takes precedence over reality, and that there is nothing new in the present situation".
Mr Shujaat said: "I have clarified the position a number of times to quash speculation (about change of prime minister) but it had not worked". He added: "It is about time things cooled down".
The two also denied reports of any differences between them on the expansion of the federal cabinet. Mr Jamali said: "I have discussed this issue with Chaudhry Shujat today and we will soon announce a date for the induction of proposed ministers when the list is finalized".
He did not say whether the expansion will take place before the passage of national budget or after. On the announcement of five Fata MNAs that they were withdrawing support to the government over the Wana operation, the prime minster said he will soon meet the legislators to discuss their position.
When his attention was drawn towards opposition's criticism of economic blockade used as a tool of pressuring tribesmen, he simply said: "There will be no compromise on the stability of the country."
Responding to a question as to how far his government pinned hopes on new Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim for the betterment of political as well as law and order situation in the province, Mr Jamali said: "He has just taken oath of office this afternoon and one has to wait and hope for the best from him".
When asked whether the move for an in-house change was initiated by the president's camp, the prime minister said, "no question of any such thing." Chaudhry Shujaat said the house was being run democratically. It was set up in a democratic way "as we had offered the PPP Parliamentarians to form its government in Sindh."
Referring to a statement of MMA leaders Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Maulana Fazlur Rahman that the alliance will oppose any undemocratic move to remove the prime minister, he said: "Such observations were strange for I have come through a democratic process and I am running the business in a democratic setup".
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