August 28, 2007	Tuesday	Sha’aban 14, 1428

LAHORE, Aug 27: Punjab PPP Information Secretary Naveed Chaudhry says certain political forces are joining hands with an objective of denying the party its role in the national politics.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, the PPP leader said ‘pro-establishment elements’ were busy creating an impression that the party was engaged in secret talks with the government because it coveted power.

Naveed said the stand of Benazir Bhutto seeking supremacy of democracy through dialogue and negotiations had been vindicated. He said the benefits of the conditions — like removal of third term bar on becoming prime minister, elimination of Article 58-2(B) and general amnesty for all politicians — would be shared by all political parties.

Criticising Tehrik-i-Istaqlal Chairman Asghar Khan for his remarks that the union of the PPP and the army was detrimental to democracy, Naveed said such people had always advocated the cause of dictators.

He alleged that the government had stepped up the efforts to rig the elections through the local body system. “Despite the fact that 10,364 secretaries were working at union council levels, the Punjab government had advertised posts of secretaries,” he stated.

These posts would be filled with the recommendations of MPAs, each getting a share of three secretaries of choice, he alleged.

He said the Community Uplift Programme, under which Rs100 million had been allocated for development works in every union council, was a violation of the Local Government Ordinance.

He added the constituencies of opposition members had been neglected under the programme while mentioning that only two schemes in Wagah Town compared with 64 in Shalamar Town had been named as Wagah Town belonged to PPP’s member.

Responding to newsmen queries, he said a seat-to-seat adjustment with other political parties would be considered at the time of elections. —Reporter