August 25, 2008	Monday	Sha'aban 22, 1429

PESHAWAR, Aug 24: Provincial President PML-Q Amir Muqam has said that both factions of the Pakistan Muslim League should brush aside their differences to bring a joint candidate for the election of the president.

“Decision to nominate the party’s candidate would be taken at the meeting of the executive committee, but I believe both the factions should have a joint candidate,” he said during a press conference here on Sunday.

The former minister said that the country could only be saved by God if Asif Zardari became president. He said that a country badly affected by price hike, unemployment and lawlessness couldn’t afford the PPP leader as president.

The PML-Q, he said, would oppose any resolution seeking Mr Zardari’s election as president in the provincial assembly. However, he said that he was surprised at the PPP leader’s ability in ending corruption cases, removal of President Musharraf, developing working relationship with the ANP, MQM and JUI-F, and now marching towards the presidency.

The PML-Q leader alleged that the PPP leader had assured the Bush administration that he was more loyal to it than former president Musharraf.

Mr Muqam also accused the ANP-led provincial government for failing to tackle the crisis in Swat and elsewhere in the province. He said that Sharia law should be enforced in Malakand Agency to stem tide of militancy and improve law and order.

He said that the PML-Q government was far better than the present one, which had unleashed barrage of crises, ranging from loadshedding to price hike, law and order situation, and asked the government to resolve the problem of common people instead of going after ‘personal’ gains through politics.