December 16, 2007	Sunday	Zilhaj 5, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Dec 15: Former member of the National Assembly (MNA), Sardar Mansoor Hayat Tamman and his brother Saturday announced to join the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP).

Addressing a press conference, along with PPP leader Senator Safdar Abbasi, Mr Tamman said he had resigned from the Muslim League-Q because of differences with the leadership of the party over the issue of allotting tickets for the election 2008.

He said the former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi himself had filed nomination papers from NA-61 Chakwal, while senior politician Lt-Gen Majeed Malik (retired) and other senior party leaders from Chakwal were ignored by the PML-Q leadership.

Mr Tamman accused the district administration of “campaigning for the candidates of former ruling party and using government funds for facilitating them.”

Mr Taman said despite using the government machinery and resources, the former CM would face a historical defeat in the upcoming general elections as he had decided to contest from NA- 61 against the wishes of the people.

Claiming that his family has political influence in Chakwal district and full support of Majid Malik, Mr Tamman expressed the confidence that candidates fielded by Pakistan People’s Party for National and provincial assembly seats would surely win the elections. Sardar Maqsood Hayat Tamman, former chairman of the Chakwal District Council and brother of Mansoor Hayat Tamman, was also present on the occasion.

Senator Safdar Abbasi welcomed Hayat Tamman’s decision and hoped it would help increase the party’s vote bank in the area.

Senator Abbasi said PPP would invite all the like-minded parties to build a consensus on benchmark for free and fair elections.

“Charter of demands is in fact a benchmark for free and fair elections and it mainly focuses on empowerment of people through transparent polls,” he said.

PPP-led Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) had held talks with the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) to draw a Charter of Demands for free and fair elections. Both the sides had agreed on 13 out of the 15 points of the charter except for two including reinstatement of former judges.

“Our party had convinced the PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif that elections are necessary for smooth transition of power and only parliament can solve the pending issues including reinstatement of judges,” he said.