LAHORE, Nov 20: The absence of 46 ruling PML MNAs from the National Assembly when the women’s protection bill was being voted upon amounts to a no-confidence in the leadership of President Pervez Musharraf, Punjab PPP President Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi says.

Addressing a convention and then talking to reporters here on Monday, he said the Chaudhrys could not claim the credit for the bill as they had tried their best to ‘sabotage’ it. They were not in favour of the bill at all and thus used various tactics to delay its adoption, he alleged.

Qureshi said Chaudhrys set up an ulema committee after the select committee had cleared the bill. He said the PML leaders had to change their thinking because of the pressure from the power that be.

The PPP leader said the political strategy of the Chaudhrys had caused a setback to the PML in Punjab.

Qureshi said the people of Punjab had seen the real face of the PML leaders and now they would support the PPP.

He reiterated his resolve to make Punjab a stronghold of the PPP and Ms Benazir Bhutto prime minister for a third term.

The PPP leader said his party had never been with Gen Musharraf in the past nor would it ever be.

Secretary-General Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas said while addressing a convention at the Lahore Press Club the government was responsible for the situation the country was having to face at present.

He said the PPP was following principles rather than interests and its opposition to or support for anyone was on the basis of principles.

He alleged that Gen Musharraf had set up the PML-Q to dismantle the democratic institutions.

Ghulam Abbas said time had come for a decision on whether the country should be ruled by dictators or the elected representatives.

MNA Samina Ghurki, Begum Beelum Hasnain, Haji Azizur Rehman Chan, Shakeela Rashid, Altaf Qureshi, Zakariya Butt, Raja Zulqernain, Yasmin Misbah, Begum Shamim Niazi and Sohail Malik were also among the speakers.

They said political parties should shun their differences and come out against the rulers.