February 20, 2008	Wednesday	Safar 12, 1429

LAHORE, Feb 19: Pakistan Muslim League-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has said the PML-Q will sit in the opposition and extend full cooperation to the new government for the country’s progress.

Addressing a crowded news conference at his residence on Tuesday, Chaudhry Shujaat said the PML-Q had accepted the election results and congratulated the winning candidates and their parties. He also congratulated his party’s winning candidates and declared that that none of them would join hands with the PML-N or PPP to become part of the government.

“We will neither run after any political party nor forge alliance to get some posts because the lust for power is not liked by Almighty Allah,” he said.

He also said that PML-Q candidates, who had been defeated, including myself, would not lose heart and continue to struggle for the welfare of the country.

Referring to Nawaz Sharif’s statement that the PML-N was a parent body and PML-Q winning candidates could return to it, Chaudhry Shujaat said his was not PML-Q but the original PML, which had actually brought Nawaz Sharif to politics.

About Mr Sharif’s promises, Chaudhry Shujaat said that the PML-N chief had promised to restore judiciary after coming into power but he had now started using ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ just a day after the elections. “Let us see what stance he will take in coming days on the issue of judiciary,” he said.

Answering a question, he said the matter of his resignation from the party’s leadership would be put before the party for a decision. He said the PML-Q had already adopted a resolution that no candidate could remain party president for more than two terms.

About the causes of his party’s debacle in the elections, he said the turn of events and incidents including Benazir Bhutto’s assassination were the main factors. He denied that the defeat was the result of President Pervez Musharraf’s policies. “Neither we involved President Musharraf nor he himself got involved in political campaign of the PML,” he asserted.

Answering a question, Chaudhry Shujaat said it was for the party to decide whether Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi would be leader of opposition in Punjab or at the Centre.