May 18, 2006	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 19, 1427

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LAHORE, May 17: Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi says the so-called Charter of Democracy signed in London reflects nothing but the “lust for power” of the two former prime ministers who had failed to deliver during the two terms they had got to rule the country.

“The CoD has nothing to offer to the country”, he said while talking to Dawn on Wednesday.

Pervaiz Elahi, who is also provincial president of the ruling PML, said Ms Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif could not be expected to think beyond their personal interests and this was what the CoD was all about.

It was an assurance by one not to destabilise the other if he or she got another opportunity to come to power, the chief minister said of the CoD and its signatories.

He recalled that both the former prime ministers had committed countless mistakes while in power and during their second tenures they had failed to take any step to rectify their earlier mistakes. Now, he said, they had no political future nor any of them would be able to come to Pakistan any time soon.

“The CoD will not serve the cause of democracy”, said the chief minister quite bitterly.

He claimed that both the exiled leaders were still trying to make contacts with the present government. They were ‘consistent’ in their efforts, he said, alleging that actions of both the former prime ministers were in conflict with their words.

“Will it not be good for the country if military intervention in political matters comes to an end, as the CoD pledges to do”, he was asked.

The chief minister said all state institutions had been strengthened by Gen Pervez Musharraf. He said this would be the first time in the country’s history that the assemblies would be completing their constitutional tenure. The press had been given unprecedented freedom. The government was tolerating even the severest ever criticism.

In the National Security Council not only all provinces but also the opposition leader in the National Assembly had been given representation.

As a result, he said, the institutions were working better than ever before.

He believed that the exiled leaders would never be able to “fool” the people any more.

The chief minister said the state of “democracy” in the PPP and the PML-N provided the best example of the system the two former prime ministers would bring to the country through the CoD. He said Ms Benazir Bhutto was the life-chairperson of her party, and the situation of Mian Nawaz Sharif was not any different.

When it was pointed out that the ruling party members were complaining that the top leadership was taking all decisions without any consultation with the relevant party organisations, the chief minister said it was a baseless allegation. “Such accusations are made as a fashion, not as a fact”.

He said the party would look into the complaints of the disgruntled elements and try to redress them.

He said it was a routine affair that in a bigger party like the PML people had complaints on various issues. But, he said, the leadership was alive to the situation and it always addressed any complaint made by any member at any time.

He said the critics should not forget that nobody in the PPP and the PML-N could dare speak in the presence of Ms Bhutto or Mian Nawaz Sharif.

The PML, he claimed, was more democratic and tolerant in its attitude compared to other parties in the field.

Q: President Musharraf has already said that Chaudhry Shujaat will continue to lead the party for another term. This being so, who will dare contest election against him?

A: Chaudhry Shujaat Husain has already said that everybody is free to contest for the top office.

As for President Musharraf’s statement, he has made it in view of the performance shown by Chaudhry Shujaat as the party chief. The party has already appointed an election commission to hold elections at all tiers.

“Most welcome”, said the Punjab PML president when asked if anybody could challenge him in the provincial elections.

The chief minister had returned to the city from Islamabad on Wednesday afternoon.