February 23, 2008	Saturday	Safar 15, 1429

BAHAWALPUR, Feb 22: Former parliamentary secretary Makhdoom Ali Hassan Gilani has said a no-confidence motion against District Nazim Tariq Cheema is likely after Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) forms government in Punjab.

In an interview on Friday, Gilani, who could not contest the election on a PML-N ticket because his nomination papers were rejected, alleged that Cheema victimised his opponents when Pakistan Muslim League-Q was in power. He said the Ahmedpur East tehsil nazim would also be replaced with a PML-N man if the anticipated PML-N government let the local governments system continue.

BALOCH: Jamaat-i-Islami Punjab chief Liaquat Baloch has reiterated that President Pervez Musharraf should quit after people’s verdict against him on Feb 18.

Speaking at a press conference here on Friday, Baloch said the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) would extend unconditional cooperation to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). He said the new coalition government should solve problems like unemployment and price hike on priority, give the nation a new foreign policy, free the judiciary, restore the 1973 Constitution and end the president’s rule. He supported the demand that Bahawalpur should be made a separate province.

RECOUNT: A returning officer declared Makhdoom Iftikhar Gilani successful in PP-267 after a recount of votes.

Gilani’s rival Hassan Askari Sheikh had applied for a recount.