December 03, 2007	Monday	Ziqa'ad 22, 1428

LAHORE, Dec 2: Claiming to sweep elections all over the country, Punjab PML-Q president Pervaiz Elahi said here on Sunday that the party would make seat adjustment with the MQM and PML-Functional only in Sindh.

Speaking at a news conference at his residence, he nevertheless said at present there was no plan to make seat adjustment with MQM in Punjab.

The PML-Q would surely make the arrangement with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, said Mr Elahi, adding that his party had finalised the list of its candidates to Punjab Assembly seats and would formally announce it on Monday (today).

He said the party would bag two-third majority in Punjab.

When asked about its victory prospects at the national level, he said it would stand victorious with the help of its allies in the NWFP, Balochistan and Sindh.

“We will form the next federal government,” he said.

The former Punjab chief minister said now when the president had accepted almost all demands of the opposition there was no reason for All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) or anyone else to boycott elections. Those talking of the boycott were actually escaping the elections for want of homework for it and for fearing a defeat.

He said local leaders of a few political parties would contest polls even if their leadership decided to boycott it. Two major parties of the APDM, JUI-F and ANP, too were not boycotting the elections, he said.

Mr Elahi said those talking of boycotting the elections must remember that the parties that had not contested the 1985 polls had gone out of the country’s political system for 10 years.

He said his party was contesting elections on the basis of its five-year performance through which it served the people and the country. It would sweep the elections in Punjab for the same reason, he said.

Mr Elahi said his party would formally launch its campaign after the allotment of symbols to the contesting parties by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). It would be started at the time already fixed by the ECP, he said.

Replying to questions, he said Ms Benazir Bhutto would declare the elections genuine only if she won. In case of a defeat she would term the polls rigged.

“She has taken out the election rigging files of her father which he made in 1977. And she is talking of rigging in the next elections as a face-saving tactic. The reality is that no-one has ever thought of rigging even after 1977,” he said.

When referred to the pre-poll rigging allegations by Shahbaz Sharif upon the rejection of his papers, Mr Elahi said levelling accusations was the easiest thing to do.

“One must respect courts and fight cases there if one is facing them. The PML-N has no candidates.”

He said Mr Nawaz Sharif’s visit to the earthquake affected areas in Azad Kashmir would “not generate another earthquake.” Such leaders forgot the people (the affectees) in their hour of trial and stayed abroad for their own comfort. They should have come here soon after the tragedy had they any longing for the people, he said.

He termed the visit an election stunt and said “political leaders even offer fateha for those died 10 years ago when they visit their constituency during elections.”

When asked under which conditions the Model Town residence of Nawaz Sharif had been returned to him, Mr Elahi said it had been delivered after “a thorough cleaning.”

“You know better and are aware of how affairs have been tackled (with the Sharif family),” he said when asked whether they had been allowed to return to Pakistan as a result of a deal.

He said the president had taken the PML into confidence while allowing the Sharif family to return home and taking all important decisions.