January 13, 2008	Sunday	Muharram 03, 1429

BAHAWALPUR, Jan 12: Pakistan Muslim League (Q) provincial head Pervaiz Elahi announced on Saturday that he would retain his seat of NA-187 (Yazman tehsil), if elected, this time round.

He was addressing a public meeting at his constituency on Jhokia cotton factory premises at Chak 110/DB near Yazman, about 40 kilometres from here, as part of his election campaign.

Tehsil nazim Chaudhry Abdul Jabbar and naib nazim Chaudhry Basharat Randhawa were seen supervising the event whereas district nazim Tariq Cheema, who accompanied the ex-chief minister in his helicopter, sat among the audience instead of occupying a seat on stage.

Pervaiz Elahi was given full protocol by the local administration and heavy contingent of police was deployed in and outside the venue before his arrival. Earlier, he spoke to a gathering at a Dera Bakha cotton factory in connection with the election campaign of Sahibzada Farooq Anwar Abbasi in NA-185 (Bahawalpur-111) and Ijaz Safdar (PP-272).

Pervaiz Elahi said he was true to his words and would vacate his NA seat only if district nazim Tariq Cheema, who had invited him to contest from this seat, desired so. He promised to accelerate the pace of development after getting elected.

He promised allotment of land to Cholistanis and remove shortage of canal water in the area and supply of Sui gas.

He reiterated that Sharifs stood disqualified and the PML-N voters would squander their votes on them. He expressed hope that his party would sweep the election and after coming into power, take the decision of constructing dams.

Also present on the occasion was Ijazul Haq, a former minister who criticised PPP co-chairperson Asif Zardari who, he said, was busy drafting the fake will at a time when the people were mourning the tragic death of PPP chairperson Ms Benazir Bhutto.

He stressed that there was a need to probe Zardari for drafting a fictitious will.