LAHORE, March 4: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday subordinated his government to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League and its coalition partners, saying credit for whatever was being done by him for the country went to all parties with whose support he had become the chief executive.

At a meeting with some federal and provincial ministers and office-bearers of the ruling PML at the Governor's House, Mr Aziz made a serious effort to let everyone know that the party was running the government, not the vice versa.

PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Husain, Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool, federal ministers Rao Sikandar Iqbal, Jehangir Tareen, Awais Leghari, provincial ministers Chaudhry Zaheeruddin, Raja Basharat, Arshad Khan Lodhi, Mian Aslam Iqbal, Senators Dr Khalid Ranjha, Kamil Ali Agha, Lahore PML president Mian Munir and Lahore nazim Mian Amir Mahmood took part in the meeting.

Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was not present as he was on a private visit to London. However, the presence of Chaudhry Shujaat belied various press reports that the Chaudhrys' relations with the prime minister had got tense after the removal of their 'favourite' Imtiaz Shaikh as revenue minister of Sindh.

Those who participated in the meeting gathered at the CM's Secretariat from where they were taken to the Governor's House in three coaches. At the CM's Secretariat they were provided with invitation cards, in the absence of which nobody could attend the meeting.

"It was for security reasons," said one participant. However, another participant had a different point of view. "We were produced before the prime minister like PoWs," he said.

Some of the participants appreciated the prime minister for deciding to establish a direct contact with the ruling coalition legislators. They said now it would be easier for the MPs to approach the prime minister.

The premier said all policies would be formulated by the coalition partners and the government machinery would implement them in letter and in spirit. He said as a result of his policies the country was making rapid progress.

Mr Aziz said agriculture was the mainstay of economy and all efforts should be made to promote it. He underlined the need for more dams to meet the future irrigation requirements.

He said some countries had the capacity to store water for five years to meet their irrigation requirements, but in Pakistan this was not the case. He hoped that some solution would be found to the growing water needs. Chaudhry Shujaat and Governor Khalid Maqbool also spoke.