October 05, 2008	Sunday	Shawwal 05, 1429

GUJRAT, Oct 4: Expressing the desire to keep the coalition with the PML-N intact, Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar said on Saturday the PPP had yet to decide whether it had to accept the PML-Q with the Chaudhry brothers or without them.

“While the PML-Q will not remain even a party till the next election, the PPP would like to continue its coalition with the N-League in Punjab due to strong and good relations,” he told reporters at his office.

The PML-Q, he said, always depended on military rulers for its existence and now it would fade away soon. He, however, said almost 95 per cent of the Q-League parliamentarians had supported the PPP by voting for Asif Zardari in the presidential election. But the ruling party had not taken any decision so far.

“The PPP would like Shahbaz Sharif to work as chief minister and the Chaudhry brothers should stop dreaming of the Punjab government’s collapse,” he reiterated.

Commenting on the 17th Amendment, he said only those parts of the amendment, which were against the democracy, should be repealed. As for Chaudhry Wajahat Husain’s allegations regarding the crackdown on PML-Q workers, he said he had asked the district police officer to arrest the “goons in Gujrat and if the Wajahat Force members are goons and law violators, it means nothing against the law,” Mukhtar minced no words.

Blaming the previous government for the economic turmoil in the country, he said: “The PPP has taken tough decisions for the country which needs $4 billion for a stable economy. And the sum will be made available by the forum of friendly countries. The Asian Development Bank has given $4 million and will give more money by the end of this month,” the minister said.