September 18, 2008	Thursday	Ramazan 17, 1429

LAHORE, Sept 17: Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer says the Pakistan People’s Party has neither formed any forward bloc in its rival political party nor believes in politics of horse-trading.

Addressing at an Iftar dinner held by Lahore PPP president Azizur Rehman Chan here on Wednesday, the governor said some groups, which had created such blocs in rival parties, were accusing other democratic forces of trying to topple their government.

He said the PPP believed in politics of ideology and discouraged doing politics of SHOs and DCOs.

Mr Taseer said the PPP had accepted the internal and external challenges faced by the country boldly and hoped to overpower them.

The governor renewed his pledge that party workers would make Punjab a citadel of the party under his supervision.

He maintained that party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would contest the general election from Lahore and would succeed with a thumping majority.

He said the party was being organised at gross-roots level to make the province a stronghold of the party.

Mr Taseer said the party had eliminated the feelings of hatred among the provinces and small nationalist parties, especially in Balochistan, by promoting a politics of consensus.

He said it was the political wisdom of President Asif Ali Zardari that motivated a rival party like the MQM to forge alliance with the PPP in Sindh in the larger national interests.

Regarding the Zardari-Altaf meeting in London, he said it was very positive and would have a far-reaching impact on the national politics.

The governor said the address of President Zardari to the joint parliamentary session would help strengthen democracy.

He said Sept 20 would be a historic day when a civilian president after a long period would address parliament.