April 05, 2008	Saturday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 27, 1429

KARACHI, April 4: Activists of the Pakistan Muslim League-N on Friday wrested control of the PML House from the PML-Q after about eight years.

The PML House was purchased from the Pir of Ranipur in 1985 when the Pakistan Muslim League was a united party with Mohammad Khan Junejo as president and Pir Pagara as patron. The bungalow on the Karsaz road was acquired for Rs2.15 million and Rs2.5 million was spent on its renovation.

The PML-Q activists had taken over the office after the overthrow of the Nawaz government in 1999.

When the PML-N activists stormed the office on Friday they faced no resistance.They were led by Perveen Bashir, Sorath Thebo, Ali Akbar Gujar and Naveed Anwar Dhaloon.

After taking over the bungalow, they tore up photographs of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Arbab Ghulam Rahim and set them on fire.

Dawn tried to contact the leadership of the PML-Q, but phone calls were not answered.

Veteran PML leader Alhaj Shamimuddin told Dawn that papers of the PML House property were in his name and in his possession because at the time of its purchase he was secretary general of the party’s Sindh chapter.

He said that had the PML-N leadership contacted him he would have given them possession of the bungalow.