April 10, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 3, 1429

LAHORE, April 9: PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday regretted the manhandling of Sher Afgan Niazi blaming it on ‘remnants of dictatorship’.

Talking to reporters at the Punjab Assembly where he witnessed its maiden session, he said the elements involved in the nefarious act would politically die themselves.

Mr Shahbaz said it was the duty of the majority parties to devote themselves for serving the people without wasting any time.

Meanwhile, chief minister-designate Dost Muhammad Khosa said he would ensure improvement in the law and order, and added he would seek cooperation and guidance of everyone because “we have to work together for the progress of the province.”

He said he would unveil priorities of his government in the assembly.

About initiating a dialogue with the opposition which boycotted the assembly proceeding over manhandling of Dr Sher Afgan soon after taking the oath, he said any decision in this regard would be taken by the party.

PML-N’s Punjab President Sirdar Zulfikar Khosa termed the torture of Afgan a reaction to the oppression to which political opponents were subjected by the past government during the last eight years.

He said the coalition partners (the PPP and the PML-N) were enjoying cordial relations and would take all decisions through mutual agreement. The portfolios of the cabinet ministers would also be decided through agreement, he added.

Condemning the attack on Afgan, Khosa said the former minister was an elderly politician having the right to criticise anyone. No political worker or lawyer could attack Mr Afgan, he said, adding the torture was in fact an attempt to defame politicians.

He said Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif had already declared they would end the politics of oppression. Terming PML-N and PPP alliance strong, he said the government would complete the five-year term.

PPP Parliamentary Leader Raja Riaz condemned the attacks on Afgan and Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, and held the caretaker governments of Punjab and Sindh responsible for them. He said the attacks were a conspiracy against democracy in the country.

He demanded an inquiry into the attack on Mr Afgan and said those involved in it must be given stringent punishment. Even action should be taken against lawyers if anyone of them was involved in the incident, he said.

He said the PPP and the PML-N would ensure peaceful assembly session.

Earlier, the PML-N and the PPP held a joint parliamentary party meeting at a local hotel which was addressed by Mr Shahbaz Sharif, Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, Sirdar Zulfikar Khosa, Raja Riaz, Chaudhry Ghulam Abbas and Mr Jehangir Badr.

The leaders condemned the attack on Mr Afgan and decided to run the session through mutual cooperation. They also agreed to support a resolution which the PPP intended to move in the assembly to praise Benazir Bhutto for laying her life for the sake of the country and democracy.