August 29, 2007	Wednesday	Sha’aban 15, 1428

LAHORE, Aug 28: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Tuesday denied that the government was holding any kind of negotiations with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, saying a party with an 11-member strength “hardly deserves any importance”.

Addressing a press conference, he spoke of the PML-N in almost contemptuous tone. “The party is almost a non-entity in the National Assembly and why should anybody take it seriously and like to talk to it and that, too, for the presidential elections.

“On the other hand, the PML and its allies have enough electoral strength to elect the president and do not need any party, at least not the PML-N,” he made it clear.

When reminded that the presidential emissaries were in negotiations with the PML-N and PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Husain also had hinted at talks with the party, the CM claimed that no one was holding talks with the PML-N and Shujaat Husain had been misquoted on the issue.

As for the talks with the PPP, Pervaiz Elahi said these talks were restricted to developing a consensus on national issues rather than power-sharing. He said the PPP and the PML would contest elections from their respective platforms and see what emerge in the post-election scenario.

“No leaguer can even dare think making an electoral alliance with the PPP or making any seat adjustment,” he emphasised.

Saying that the PPP and the PML-N, in their ten-year rule each, had spent only Rs11 billion in the southern Punjab, he boasted that the PML had spared Rs117 billion for the area in it less than five-year rule.

He said re-election of President Pervez Musharraf was of vital importance for economic development, political stability and national interest. Pervez Musharraf would be our presidential candidate and re-elected to ensure continuity of development process. “He is a presidential candidate of the PML and if any other party wants to vote for him, the PML will have no objection.”

He reiterated that no seat adjustment or electoral alliance was on the cards and that the PML would make a clean sweep by dint of its strength.

About talks with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the chief minister said it was wrong to call him a ‘B-team’ of the regime. “The Maulana leads a big party which has a history of political struggle and winning elections. Talks are going on between the government and the MMA secretary-general on the same pattern as that of the PPP: developing consensus on national issues and the post-election scenario.

He insisted that the government had always been in touch with the JUI-F and there was nothing new in the present dialogues.

Commenting on efforts of Mir Zafarullah Jamali to form a united Muslim League, he described it as an attempt to create another ‘mischief’. Mr Jamali loved the PML when he was contesting elections for the top job and now he was trying to create mischief as he had left the party, was the chief minister’s response.

He did not agree with a questioner who claimed that the PML was disintegrating under pressure of ‘deal’ with the PPP; a few have already resigned and some others are reportedly contemplating the move. “No, there is no rebellion in the party nor is there any threat of more resignations.

“The party remains an integrated unit and the coming elections will prove that”.

Talking about the uniform issue, he said the president would take a decision on the issue according to his promise. “He knows how and when to take the step”.

Asked what would be the government’s reaction to Nawaz Sharif’s return to Punjab, the chief minister said: “Let him (Nawaz) first make up his mind. We’ll decide about it accordingly.”